Pochettino defends Mbappe: He has a lot of love for PSG

PSG
reportedly
rejected
three
bids
–
the
last
one
said
to
be
worth
up
to
€200million
–
from
Madrid
for
the
22-year-old,
whose
contract
with
the
Ligue
1
giants
runs
out
at
the
end
of
the
season.

Mbappe
has
so
far
turned
down
the
opportunity
to
sign
a
new
deal,
though
the
speculation
has
not
affected
his
form,
and
he
scored
with
a
typically
composed
finish
in
PSG’s
4-0
rout
of
Clermont
on
Saturday.

The
France
forward
has
now
scored
against
26
of
the
27
teams
he
has
faced
in
Ligue
1,
while
he
has
also
directly
contributed
to
a
goal
in
each
of
his
last
10
appearances
in
the
competition.

Mbappe,
who
was
taken
off
with
11
minutes
remaining,
ended
Saturday’s
match
with
a
game-leading
five
attempts,
with
three
of
those
on
target,
including
a
shot
that
was
parried
out
to
Idrissa
Gueye
for
PSG’s
fourth
goal.

10
–
Kylian
Mbappé
has
been
involved
in
at
least
a
goal
in
each
of
his
last
10
Ligue
1
games
(11
goals,
3
assists),
equalling
his
best
such
performance
in
the
top-flight,
previously
established
in
February-November
2020.
Performance.

#PSGCF63
pic.twitter.com/J7CJDsC2HQ

—
OptaJean
(@OptaJean)

September
11,
2021

However,
prior
to
his
strike
against
Clermont,
there
appeared
to
be
something
of
a
mixed
reaction
from
the
PSG
faithful
at
Parc
des
Princes,
with
some
sections
of
the
home
fans
appearing
to
whistle
and
jeer
the
youngster.

Pochettino
claimed
not
to
have
heard
anything
untoward,
but
was
adamant
that
Mbappe
has
nothing
but
respect
for
PSG.

“I
didn’t
hear
the
whistles,
but
I
heard
the
ovation
he
received
when
he
went
to
take
a
corner
in
the
second
half
with
the
affection
of
all
the
supporters
of
Paris,”
Pochettino
told
a
news
conference.

“He
is
a
great
professional,
a
great
player
and
a
good
boy,
he
has
a
lot
of
love
for
this
club.
He
has
shown
it
since
he
got
here.

“He
is
focused
on
improving
every
day,
helping
the
team
and
fulfilling
the
club’s
goals.
He
shows
great
respect
every
day
for
this
club,
you
have
to
salute
him.”

Next
up
for
PSG
is
a
Champions
League
encounter
with
Club
Brugge.
Lionel
Messi
and
Neymar,
who
were
both
absent
for
Saturday’s
match,
are
likely
to
return
and
may
well
start
in
a
front
three
with
Mbappe
for
the
first
time.