- 11 hours ago
'Mbappe wants to bleed PSG dry' – Real Madrid star reacts to blow in €55m unpaid wages case
Robin Bairner
- 12 Sept 2024 10:27 BST
- 4 min read
Kylian Mbappe has turned down the opportunity for mediation with PSG over claims that he is owed €55 million in unpaid wages by the Ligue 1 champions and has been told to hold the Parc des Princes side responsible for every cent he is owed.
A hearing was held on Wednesday between Mbappe’s representatives and PSG, with the French League (LFP) ruling that a mediation process should take place.
RMC reports that the Real Madrid striker has turned this down.
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As such, the France international striker can now follow the case in the justice system, which is what his mother and agent Fayza Lamari has long promised they would do.
PSG, who celebrated Wednesday’s ruling as a success, have argued that agreements were made behind closed doors with the Real Madrid star that he would forego certain bonuses if he were to leave the club as a free agent. Crucially, though, this does not seem to have been put in writing.
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Current ETV
Kylian Mbappé
F (C)
Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé
F (C)
Real Madrid
ETV Range
€115.4M - €192.4M
PSG’s argument ‘worth nothing’
Mbappe has been told that he is right to chase PSG for the money he is owed by Daniel Riolo, who vehemently criticised him before France’s 3-1 loss against Italy last week, with the pundit stating that the player should “quit football” over his comments.
“The story of a gentleman’s agreement, it’s worth nothing,” the RMC pundit said. “Morality counts but you can’t say: ‘You gave your word’, when he was frozen out during a very complicated summer last year before coming back when PSG needed to score goals.
“At the moment, there’s this famous promise. Let’s put ourselves in the men who gave their word.
“If I make you a promise and then the next month you betray me, then I realise after six months you were a piece of s***, I’ll say to myself: ‘Thank goodness I didn’t sign a contract.’
“That’s when you say: ‘If you’re competent people, a big club, sign a contract.’
“He’s right. A salary should have been due. Mbappe is totally within his rights and I think that, before a normal court, he will win his case. In front of the League, it’s different since [PSG president] Nasser Al-Khelaifi holds the keys.
“I’m not sure Mbappe wants a deal. I think he wants to bleed them dry. There’s hatred between them.”
Mbappe given greed warning
Riolo did, however, warn the Real Madrid star about the optics of this case.
“The context of France is extremely unfavourable to Mbappe,” he said. “His image is so degraded that people only want to see Mbappe’s greed.
“They confuse Mbappe’s performance, that he’s not good at the moment, and think of him as arrogant.
“But they don't want to hear what really happened. Open your eyes to what the management of PSG is like. That doesn't mean 'defending Mbappe'.
“You have the right to think that he is an arrogant guy, who only thinks about money but don't mix everything up, there are bad people against him and who have worked badly for the club for years.
“They owe money to a player. If I were in Mbappe's place, I would go for the last cent.”
