Luis Enrique Unveils Strategic Plan to Fill Void as PSG Superstar Heads to Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappé played his last game for Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday night in the 2-1 Coupe de France Final over Olympique Lyonnais at the Stade Pierre Mauroy. 

The 25-year-old didn’t score to have that storybook ending to this chapter, but he does get to lift one final trophy with the capital club. Moreover, his soon-to-be former teammates gave Mbappé a proper send-off as he begins a new chapter in the Spanish capital.

After the game, PSG manager Luis Enrique shared his thoughts on the future without Mbappé. He discussed his strategy to fill the void left by the Frenchman, signaling a new era for the Ligue 1 side.

“I’ve had the privilege of coaching Kylian this season,” Enrique said at his press conference (h/t Culture PSG). “It’s been a challenging journey for him, bidding farewell after seven years at his club and with numerous accomplishments. He’s always been steadfast and prepared to contribute to the team. Today, he made his mark; though he didn’t find the net, he played a crucial role in our offensive plays. Undoubtedly, he’s an irreplaceable talent. We won’t simply fill his shoes with another player; that’s out of the question. There’s no substitute for Kylian Mbappé.

“We’ll address this transition as a team, integrating four, five, or even six new players. The essence of Kylian will reside in the collective effort fueled by the fervor surrounding the club and its unwavering ambition to clinch every trophy. This will be our focus in the forthcoming seasons. Whether we’ll succeed remains to be seen. However, any player aspiring to join us must embrace the challenge of etching their name in history. This club is destined to claim the Champions League title, though it may take time. Rest assured, it’s an inevitable feat in our future.”

It’s a bittersweet ending, but it’s time for both parties to go their separate ways this summer. For PSG, it marks a new era where, for now, there’s no true superstar that many have become used to seeing. Still, with Enrique at the helm, there’s some security that the Parisians are going in the right direction.