Achraf: “Mbappé knows what I want...”
PSG full-back Achraf Hakimi spoke to Téléfoot about Kylian Mbappé, the team’s Champions League exit and what it means to him to play for the nine-time Ligue 1 champions.
PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi, gave an interview to Téléfoot this week in which he spoke about a number of topics concerning the club as well as his friendship with Kylian Mbappé. The former Real Madrid players says that he instantly clicked with his PSG team mates and hopes that he will agree new terms with the club and continue in Paris for the foreseeable future.
“My relationship with Mbappé? We clicked right way. From the day I arrived, when you meet someone like him, the same age as me, with a similar personality, the same character... We’re like two kids. Everything is spontaneous and natural,” Achraf said of Mbappé, one of his best friends since he swapped Milan for PSG in June 2021.
Achraf added that he hopes Mbappé will continue at PSG next season, although it will be the striker who will have the final word on his future: “Mbappé is one of the best players in the world and he’s also a good friend of mine. I want him to stay here, he knows that. He will decide what he thinks is best for him and his career. And I’ll support him whatever he does,” he said.
Giving PSG fans something to cheer
As for this evening’s Classique against Olympique Marseille, the Morocco international said: “I know that expectations are high on both sides and that there is a great rivalry. I experienced it at the Vélodrome when we met earlier in the season. It’s a game which could have an effect on the title race. Our fans deserve to see us win and go on to clinch the tenth league title. We’ve had a few poor weeks. It’s difficult when your fans don’t give you support. Beating OM would be the best thing we can do to make sure they get behind us in the final stretch of the campaign”.
And to end, Achraf spoke about PSG’s premature exit from the Champions League at the hands of his former club: “It’s difficult to actually realise that we’re out of the Champions League. We had everything in place to progress in the competition. It’s difficult to explain it to be honest. Even now, whenever I think about it, I don;t understand how it happened. I can appreciate that the fans are sad about it - we are too. At this level, small details make all the difference - things that we must correct for next season. Focusing on where we went wrong will help us to become champions,” he concluded.