Paris St-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe said he has “no problems” with manager Luis Enrique after scoring both goals in their Champions League victory over Real Sociedad to put PSG comfortably into the quarter-finals.
The France forward shone during his first 90-minute performance since February 14.
With the trip to San Sebastian billed as a potentially tricky second leg for PSG to negotiate, all eyes were on Mbappe, who has agreed to join Real Madrid this summer.
Since announcing his intention to leave Parc des Princes, Enrique’s handling of the 25-year-old has been questioned with PSG’s star man relegated to the substitutes’ bench or withdrawn early from their last three Ligue 1 games.
“I always want to play in the Champions League, it is a very important competition. I could never be a player who hides,” Mbappe told broadcaster Canal Plus on Tuesday. “My relationship with the coach is good. There is no problem even if people might think there is. I have many issues but the coach is not one of them.”
Asked about Mbappe’s substitutions in recent games, manager Enrique told Canal Plus: “Kylian will score 50 goals, make 25 assists with any coach, any team.
“Apparently, his immediate future won’t be here so we’ll have to test other solutions.”
Mbappe turned in a superb performance to register his 27th and 28th goals of the campaign for Enrique’s side.
The World Cup winner served an early warning to the hosts by accelerating past Hamari Traore to tee up a chance for Bradley Barcola, which was well saved by home goalkeeper Alex Remiro.
And six minutes later, Mbappe opened his account for the evening, latching on to Ousmane Dembele’s pass and teasing home defender Igor Zubeldia, before whipping a right-foot effort into the bottom-right corner with such power and precision that it temporarily dislodged the netting.
Mbappe’s second of the night arrived shortly after the break as he raced clear down the left to collect Lee Kang-in’s pass and then emphatically dispatched a disguised low shot past Remiro at his near post.
It was no more than the Parisians deserved with Imanol Alguacil’s Sociedad team far too passive in the opening stages and only sparking into life after they had fallen four goals behind on aggregate.
By then it was far too late with Mikel Merino’s driven effort in the closing minutes proving merely a consolation.
The draw for the last eight of the competition takes on Friday, 15 March (11:00 GMT).
BBC
