PSG star Kylian Mbappe is already way ahead of his time. The 20-year-old sensation has a Ligue 1 leading 19 goals in 18 appearances, a World Cup title and, to cap it all off, he has officially scored his 100th goal in practice.
What a legend.
19 goals in 18 league games for @KMbappe
France is a country with incredible footballing talent and the country won last year’s World Cup partly due to its remarkable squad depth. The depth of France’s talent starts in its domestic leagues. An example of this talent would be Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappè, Nicolas Pépé and Tanguy Ndombélé.
The Video Assistant Referee is in use in the Champions League Round of 16 for the first time this week. So of course conspiracy theorists are already hard at work trying to figure out the Ajax disallowed goal that helped Real Madrid grab a 2-1 away win in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 on Wednesday.
UEFA, thankfully, is smarter than the English FA and decided to start using VAR for the Champions League in the Round of 16 instead of waiting for next season. The first two matches Tuesday were without controversy and the VAR was not required.
For all the talk of wingers Christian Pulisic and Jadon Sancho heading into Borussia Dortmund’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Wembley Stadium, it was a Tottenham center back for who provided the game-changing moments from out wide.
Undoubtedly, there’s a lot on a player’s mind heading into the day of a massive game.
Especially when that important fixture is a Champions League match. Especially when you are an 18-year-old star shouldering high expectations. Especially when you’re a member of the away club on a homecoming trip to the city you were born and raised in for the first time in your professional career.
PSG was rocking at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening.
After a close first half, Les Parisiens turned it on in the second. Goals from Presnel Kimpembe (who was lucky to still be on the pitch) and Kylian Mbappé both assisted by Angel Di Maria sealed a 2-0 away victory, which will be vital to PSG for the second match of the tie. Without Edinson Cavani and Neymar, PSG strolled through in Manchester.
Paris Saint-Germain was without Neymar. Without Edinson Cavani. Without Thomas Meunier. But Kylian Mbappé is still very much a fast, fast man.
Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani left the pitch moments after scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win against Bordeaux on Saturday. An Edinson Cavani injury is the last thing the club needs right now.
PSG travels to England to face Manchester United in first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 on Tuesday.
Yesterday, Manchester United traveled to Leicester in the hopes of bouncing back from a shock 2-2 draw against Burnley at Old Trafford. The good news for United is they left King Power Stadium with three points. The bad news: United is trying to shake off a lack of sharpness.
On Monday, Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon celebrated his 41st birthday. The man with 176 international appearances to his name is now chasing his personal Holy Grail — the UEFA Champions League title — with Paris Saint-Germain, but recent reports suggest that the birthday boy will carry on playing past his 42nd birthday.