Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé basks in the glory when his team wins. But he’s quick to shoulder the blame when they lose, as they did on Tuesday.
The French international player stated that their loss to Dortmund in the Champions League semi-final – which ended 2-0 on aggregate after PSG’s 1-0 defeat in the second leg – was due to missed opportunities, some of which fell to him.
Speaking after the match at Parc des Princes, Mbappé said, “I tried to help my team as best as I could, but I didn’t do enough. When we talk about efficiency in the penalty area, I believe I’m the one targeted. I’m the man who should score the goals and be decisive. When things are going well, I get all the spotlight, and when they’re not, you have to take the blame. That’s not a problem.”
“The first person who should have scored tonight was me. That’s life, and we have to move forward, me and the team.”
With almost 70% possession and 30 shots in the second leg, the French league champions managed only four shots on target and came out empty-handed. But Mbappé insisted that PSG wasn’t unlucky; they simply weren’t good enough.
“I don’t know if they were better than us. We don’t need to tarnish their reputation. In my humble opinion, they were superior in the boxes. They came once or twice into our box and scored. We passed a lot in their area and never managed to score. That’s a fact.”
“I don’t like to talk about being unlucky. When you’re good, you don’t hit the post, you score. Today, we weren’t good enough; we were the attackers.”
Dortmund scored early in the second half through Mats Hummels and did well to contain Mbappé, who played primarily in midfield rather than his usual left-wing position.
This might be Mbappé’s last Champions League game with PSG, as the World Cup winner is expected to leave the club at the end of the season. But when asked about a move to Real Madrid this summer, Mbappé merely raised his eyebrows at reporters and left.
Paris Saint-Germain dominated possession in the final stages, with Gregor Kobel denying Mbappé from close range with a superb one-handed save, while Park des Princes groaned as Verratti’s long-range effort hit the woodwork.
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said, “I don’t think we were inferior in either of the two matches. The result is what it is, and I congratulate them and wish them the best in the final. We’ve got to bounce back from this big hit on our end.”
“It’s a sad moment when you lose, especially in this manner. I congratulate Borussia; they performed superbly in the Champions League, and in the two matches, they competed very well. We had six entries in the box, 31 shots, but we didn’t score. It’s a goal that seems impossible to believe.”
Dortmund is on its way to its second Champions League title after their 1997 triumph, while for Paris Saint-Germain, another season ends without lifting the coveted trophy sought by its Qatari owners.
Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi said, “The players and the coach did their best. Congratulations to Dortmund; they deserved better. It was a tough match. I couldn’t be prouder of my team; they’re the youngest in Europe, but they’re already making waves!.”
“”We made it to the semi-finals three times in just five years!”. Our aim isn’t there yet; we’re still eyeing the final stretch. This is football; you have to accept it, and sometimes it’s not fair. We’ll accept it.”