On May 10, at 7:56 p.m., Kylian Mbappé published a video on his X account to officially announce his departure from the Parisian club. A separation after which PSG tried to maintain a serene management, while filling on the field the absence of the best scorer in its history. Strong choices to try to quickly turn the page on the striker from Bondy.
Between Kylian Mbappé and Paris Saint-Germain, the divorce is definitively done. And this since February 15th with, as RMC Sport revealed to you, the striker’s announcement to the Parisian leaders that he was going to leave at the end of the season. Arriving in 2017, the Bondy star has experienced everything in Paris, notably becoming the club’s top scorer in history (255 goals) and the figurehead of the Parisian project. But since July 1st, Mbappé has officially been a Real Madrid player. The future of PSG is now being written without him. As it begins its new Champions League campaign, Paris is banking on a young collective. Average age of the group: 23.1 years old. Enough to already forget the dazzling accelerations but also the escapades of Kylian Mbappé?
The succession assured by the Barcola-Dembélé duo?
For regulars in the Parc des Princes stands, it’s hard to say whether the situation has already completely changed. But one thing is certain: in terms of play, Paris has not regressed. “There’s already a good replacement for Mbappé, notably with Barcola. He almost makes us forget about him. And that’s not so bad,” comments Thomas, as he leaves the shop opposite the Parc des Princes. The Barcola-Dembélé duo can already boast of having scored 7 goals since the start of the season. Not yet enough to ignite all the Parisian fans. “It’s much too early to say. We’ll have to wait until the next few months, mainly in the Champions League. But what’s already on offer looks pretty good,” tempers François.
An idea often shared at the club, behind the scenes, since the start of the new Ligue 1 season. At PSG, they explain that Kylian Mbappé was never considered a problem but rather a solution. His departure must be seen in the wake of those of Messi and Neymar. The end of the “bling-bling” era, is regularly recalled in the entourage of the club. Publicly, coach Luis Enrique is now selling the strength of his collective. A group with more freedom on and off the pitch. At the start of the season, the coach of the French champions was clear: a striker who scores 40 goals is good, but four strikers who each score 12 goals is better. “It’s important to evaluate the present, it involves a project that was clearly defined last season. But to draw conclusions, we have to wait until the end of this season and perhaps even several seasons later to see if this idea has been able to be carried out. It’s something that I like. I think it’s a good decision to come here,” explained the Spanish coach in a press conference, on the eve of hosting Girona to start the C1 this Wednesday at the Parc des Princes (9 p.m.).
Less soap operas, more serenity
A new vision that seems to be gradually convincing the squad’s executives. “The coach has experience and he knew what he was saying. He knew that other players would show themselves, that’s what’s happening. They (Dembélé and Barcola) are scoring, are happy, confident and that’s the most important thing. The coach has brought us into the philosophy he wants for the club. It’s increasingly a collective philosophy,” sums up captain Marquinhos.
Since Kylian Mbappé’s departure, is it time for superstars and more peace? The club’s daily life seems lighter, without a doubt. But the ongoing legal battle between PSG’s management and Real Madrid’s new star still needs to be settled, as he is demanding €55 million in bonuses and unpaid wages. “He’s suing the club to get his money back, even though he’s already taken a lot here. The page has been turned for us, but clearly not completely for him,” observes Paul, a Parisian supporter. In the corridors of the Factory (PSG’s headquarters) and the Poissy Campus (the training centre), the observation made since this summer is the same. The capital club is facing fewer “soap operas” but is still managed very calmly, according to some sources. A guarantee of a calmer season? As every year, a long run in the Champions League could make things easier.
No impact on the PSG brand
From a marketing point of view, the striker’s departure had no economic or commercial impact. A “painless” separation, according to several sources, with a Paris Saint-Germain brand that would no longer be dependent on a single star like Kylian Mbappé. The main indicators: hospitalizations and the Parc des Princes stands always packed to the rafters. More than 98% of season ticket holders have renewed their tickets for the current season. The first two Ligue 1 home matches against Lorient (6-0) and Brest (3-1) were sold out, as were all matches at the Parc des Princes since 2017 (142 consecutive matches). Even if the Pernod Ricard episode sparked controversy, other major companies could soon support the Parisian club despite the absence of a headliner as powerful as Kylian Mbappé.
