'Not a good person' - PSG boss Enrique blasted amid Mbappe drama

Tom Weber

Updated: 2 Mar 2024 14:26 GMT
4 min read

Luis Enrique, Kylian Mbappe, PSG — © IMAGO

French journalist and pundit Daniel Riolo tore into Luis Enrique after he substituted Kylian Mbappe at halftime against Monaco.

Article continues under the video

The Spanish coach appears bent on antagonising the Real Madrid-bound attacker. Having already uncharacteristically substituted him in the previous game, he took things further by hauling Mbappe off at half-time against his former club Monaco on Friday.

While there was certainly a good reason behind the substitution - Mbappe played terribly - it was nevertheless strange to see PSG's megastar return from the tunnel showered and wearing a tracksuit. Controversy was then sparked when Mbappe, instead of sitting down next to his teammates on the bench, went into the stands to sit beside his mother and agent Fayza Lamari.

Speculation about a rift between Mbappe and his Spanish coach has been rife since the incident, with Enrique once again reiterating that PSG need to learn how to play without the 25-year-old, all but confirming that he will leave at the end of the season, a decision that is yet to be officially communicated.

Riolo slams Enrique

After the match, Enrique justified his actions: "It was 100 per cent the coach's decision because sooner or later we will have to get used to playing without Kylian Mbappe. I took this decision for the good of the team. I am not going to play this game. For me there is no problem, this is just how I want to handle things.”

However, not everybody is convinced that this is the correct way to handle things. French pundit and journalist Daniel Riolo, for example, took exception to the substitution and went on a scathing rant about Enrique on After Foot RMC. "It’s another episode in the circus… And we still have 6 months of circus, we are only at the beginning,” he began before slamming the coach.

“I do not like him [Enrique]. Humanly, I don’t think he’s a good person. I think he’s a pretentious person who doesn’t have much value. I think he’s a copycat and a spiritual child of [Pep] Guardiola.”