Not many coaches would be able to deal with the Kylian Mbappe fiasco, but Luis Enrique is one of them.
The PSG manager has been winning over fans in Paris with his treatment of their star player, who will leave on June 30, likely for Real Madrid.
Substituting Mbappe in the 65th minute against Rennes, he did it at half-time against Monaco, only for Mbappe to make a show by coming back out and sitting with his mother in the stands.
Rather than letting the issue get to him, Luis Enrique has found an ideal approach – turning it into a joke.
After the Monaco game he revealed Mbappe wasn’t injured and that he will do as he pleases as ‘we need to get used to playing without him sooner or later’.
The line was very much the same ahead of a Champions League clash with Real Sociedad, but with far more laughter.
The Spaniard had the media on strings during his press conference and was asked if Mbappe will play the whole game multiple times.
“I think that tomorrow’s game is so important for us that there are no more comments to make,” he said. “It could be yes or no, who knows…
“It is very easy to manage, I accept the questions that the journalists want and I answer what they give you. I win, it’s my formula.”
Asked in a separate one-on-one interview if he could take Mbappe off early again, Luis Enrique replied: “Yes of course, why not?” before giving a cheeky laugh to the camera.
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