Luis Enrique’s heated one-on-one interview with Los Blancos poster child Kylian Mbappe has surfaced again in the context of Paris Saint-Germain’s drive to the 2024–25 Champions League title. The video was shot following the French team’s 3-2 loss to Barcelona the previous season.
But it wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows for the French talisman. After PSG lost to Barcelona 3-2 in a two-leg 2023–24 Champions League quarterfinal match, Enrique, his old manager, had some harsh things to say about him.
The video is especially shocking now that the French squad has won their first Champions League championship without Mbappe, who crashed out against Arsenal with Madrid.
Enrique and Mbappe’s Leadership Conversation Resurfaces
“As a player and as a person, you must first set that example.”
Video of the two-way conversation, which was dominated by the 55-year-old strategist, has surfaced following Mbappe’s 26-year-old struggles against the Gunners in this season’s competition. Enrique began his speech, which was translated into English, by saying:
“I read that you’re a fan of Michael Jordan. Like a son of a b****, Michael Jordan would seize his teammates by the balls and begin defending with them. As a player and as a person, you must first set that example by pressing.
He suggested that Paris-born Mbappe should press from the front before naming Pau Cubarsi and Marc-Andre ter Stegen as two players who could ruin the Frenchman’s strategy ahead of their second encounter against Barcelona.
The entire game will be spent applying pressure to Cubarsi, preventing him from moving forward, and pressing Ter Stegen to play quickly. “And tracking back so quickly! Why? To be a leader! Because you think that you only have to score goals. Of course, you are a world phenomenon, a top-class player – no doubt about it, but that doesn’t work for me,” the player said. “You’re going to face [Pau] Cubarsi. You’re the one who will have to press Cubarsi and [Marc-Andre] ter Stegen.”
Since you had elite players on you the other day and you were unable to assist us, Enrique went on, “A true leader is when you are unable to assist us with the goals. However, you could have assisted us with all defensive tasks.”
Then pleading with Mbappe to take the initiative and lead PSG, saying he should be talking to the back four to be defensive. From that vantage point, Mbappe and the strikers ought to shoulder the majority of the workload instead.
“You go like this: ‘You stay all four, guys from the defensive line. I’ll bring my two other teammates along. Because it’s best if you just press.
“But, if you take Ousmane [Dembele], [Randal] Kolo Muani, [Bradley] Barcola, Goncalo [Ramos], or Marco Asensio and you use them as examples to press, do you know what we have? A f****** team machine.” “That’s what I want you to do as a leader here for the two months you have left, Kiki, but you have to earn it. Not by attacking, but the day you don’t attack, you have to be the best player in history at defending.” “That’s a leader.” “Is that clear to you, Michael Jordan?”
It’s noteworthy to observe that, despite Mbappe’s impressive debut season with Los Blancos, his arrival has signaled a regression in the Champions League for his new squad, while his former team, PSG, has significantly improved in the competition.
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