Kylian Mbappe: Enrique Still Needs Star as PSG Divorce Turns Sour amid Madrid Links

• Paris Saint-Germain have seemingly started preparing for life without Kylian Mbappe
• Mbappe has been withdrawn twice in recent games despite the club needing a goal
• Ahead of the Champions League second-leg games, Enrique needs his star forward back

The first game after news had broken out that Kylian Mbappe would be quitting Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, the forward received a hostile reception when he was withdrawn in the 64th minute.

PSG were peculiarly a goal down when Luis Enrique decided to withdraw his star player with no signs of injury. He thereafter lasted only 45 minutes against his former side, AS Monaco.

Rather than join his teammates after half-time, Mbappe changed and went up to the stands, where he watched the rest of the game with his mother/agent, Fayza Lamari.

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It was a clear sign of 'two people can play this game,' a sign that the divorce between Mbappe and PSG had reached a point of no return - and it was going to be sour.

When quizzed about his recent early changes, Enrique appeared to confirm that the 25-year-old will be leaving Parc Des Princes this summer.

"I have been in football long enough; you should know everything is important in this kind of club. Sooner or later, we will play without Mbappe, so I'm looking for the best option for the team," as quoted by 90MIN.

Why PSG still needs Mbappe

But ahead of the second legs of the round of 16 Champions League matches, Enrique will need to have a rethink in his strategy if he harbours the dream of becoming the first PSG manager to win the competition.

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The French giants are on a stroll to another Ligue 1 title, a trophy that would be of no consequence to Mbappe's legacy. They have spent tonnes of money over the last decade to win the Champions League, and with Mbappe as the last piece of the project, they ought to maximise his potential for the remaining months.

It is no secret that the World Cup winner is the best talent in Europe and can singlehandedly drag teams to titles. PSG currently have a 2-0 advantage over Real Sociedad, a game in which Mbappe scored.

Mbappe's PSG stats compared to fellow attackers

He is their top-scorer this season in all competitions, netting 21 times in the league. The 21 goals represent 38% of the total goals PSG have scored this season, which speaks volumes of Mbappe's importance in this team.

Of the two games he was withdrawn early, Goncalo Ramos needed a late penalty to equalise while they drew blanks against Monaco.

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Ousmane Dembele hasn't had the desired impact as his predecessor number 10. The former Barcelona man has only scored once in Ligue 1. Randal Kolo Muani has six goals, while Ramos has five goals.

To put it plainly, Mbappe is the beginning and the end of PSG's attack, and until they get a replacement in the summer, they cannot afford to bench him in the big boys' league.

PSG's best chance to win Champions League

As it stands, this offers the best avenue for PSG to finally win their maiden trophy. Record champions Real Madrid have somehow found a formula to keep winning but remain bugged down by long-term injuries to key players.

Defending champions Manchester City are favourites to retain their title, but ahead of an intense three-way battle for the Premier League, they might cave in Europe at some point.

Bayern Munich, under Thomas Tuchel, have been shaky all season, while Arsenal's 'inexperienced' young face the same predicament as Manchester City. These sides will need to overturn first-leg deficits to qualify for the quarter-finals.

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PSG can go toe-to-toe with the other teams. And in Enrique, they have a manager who has been there before and won it.

On paper, they can reach the final depending on what draw they land in the last 8 - but Mbappe needs to be brought back into the mix as a leader of the team.

The Monaco graduate has made Europe his favourite hunting ground, scoring 44 goals in 68 appearances. One would understand Enrique's thought process of trying to adapt to life post-Mbappe, but that's three months away. He will cross that bridge when he gets there.

Use him now Luis and maybe, just maybe, you might take PSG to the promised land.

Mbappe meets France's President

Sports Brief reported that Mbappe met French President Emmanuel Macron and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim ben Hamad Al Thani for dinner at Elysee Palace.

The meeting sparked rumours of possible involvement by Macron to convince Mbappe to extend his contract with the French champions.