Kylian Mbappé criticised after PSG’s Champions League loss to AC Milan

On Tuesday at San Siro, one of Italy and Europe’s most sacred homes of football, PSG slumped to their second defeat in the Champions League this season and their second away from home. The Parisians, despite having started off well, with defender Skriniar giving them an early lead against AC Milan (who lost Pulisic to injury), fell away during the game and allowed the hosts to grow, eventually scoring two and turning the tie on its head, taking full advantage of the holes in the French defence.

The loss, a huge early setback in what could be a defining season for Mbappé in Paris, means that they are obliged to beat Newcastle at the Parc de Princes in the next Champions League match day in order to climb up the standings in Group F, where top and bottom are separated by just 3 points.

Mbappé criticised by French media after AC Milan loss

French newspaper, L’Équipe, the main source of post-game ratings and a notoriously harsh critic when things don’t go well, has once again launched into the Paris Saint Germain players after the loss in Italy. Starting with Manuel Agarte, who had been a revelation this season and is a highly-rated young centre back, yet suffered horribly against Ruben Loftus-Cheek, was given a 2/10. This rating, despite the reputation of L’Équipe, is sensationally low and reserved only for nights to forget.

The criticism did not stop when it arrived at Kylian Mbappé's boots. The French national team captain, who broke his silence in the mixed zone after the final whistle, admitted that the squad were “disappointed with the result”. Mbappé could not get past Calabria on the wing, missed two huge opportunities and did not grab the game by the scruff of the neck when PSG needed hm most. Just like against Newcastle, Mbappé did not take control when the pieces around him failed to work.

Mbappé ‘lacked imagination in his play’

L’Équipe gave him a 4/10, a fail, putting the rating down to a lack of efficiency in the chances he had. “In the first half an hour”, went the post-game report, “he looked inventive and available in play, making sure the ball was always close to his team. He went up against Maignan in the 8th and 15th minute, and lost out to him on 25 minutes. The rest [of the game] was clearly insufficient. He made the difference on very few occasions, he lacked imagination in his combination play and didn’t look for individual solutions in complicated situations”.

Another figure who didn’t escape the wrath of the newspaper was Luis Enrique, the PSG manager. The Spanaird, who did not shy away from his ultra-offensive style despite the difficult circumstances, was also handed a 4/10, the same as Mbappé. “He doesn’t change anything”, the report card said, “he dominates the opponent and tried to keep the ball away from AC Milan. The Spaniard has his ideas and he sticks to them. But sometimes that creates decisive moments of imbalance. Even so, his team conceded a lot of chances. He didn’t sit on his hands and made changes quickly, but his team were unable to react.”

PSG forced to win against Newcastle to keep hopes alive

The match played by Mbappé was sufficiently bad to once again raise questions about his performances in Europe. In the two games with PSG at home, however, he was decisive against Dortmund where opened the scoring and against Milan, where he took on the challenge and was one of the top players on the night. Away from home, however, things are drastically different. During the debacle in Newcastle, which PSG lost 4-1, the Frenchman was simply invisible and in Milan he was way off what he can be, failing to convert chances and lead the team.

PSG’s next game in the Champions League is at home against Newcastle, a side who are enjoying the highs of being back on the continent, despite recently losing 2-0 to Dortmund in Germany, another result that blows open the very appropriately named Group of Death.