CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Why are Barcelona fans booing PSG star Mbappé?

Kylian Mbappé arrived in the capital of Catalonia with his Parisien teammates hoping to win a place in the Champions League semi-finals.

JOSEP LAGOAFP

The first leg of the Champions League quarter-final between PSG and Barcelona was explosive in Paris. The game ended with the Spaniards coming away with a 3-2 victory to take home for the second leg. Although the game wasn’t being played in the famous Camp Nou stadium, the fans that were in the Estadio Montjuic were certainly making themselves heard from the off. With a couple of players getting particular attention: Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.

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What do Barça fans have against Mbappé?

So, if you have even a passing interest in soccer, then you’ll probably have seen headlines over recent years that Mbappé has been heavily linked with a move to his childhood club love, Real Madrid. You may also be aware that the team from the Spanish capital is also the eternal rival of Barcelona.

A noisy Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys for Kylian Mbappé.Albert GeaREUTERS

While the last few transfer windows have not resulted in the move transpiring, this summer is all set for it to finally happen. The French superstar, considered the best attacking player in the world by many, will be a domestic enemy for Barça. Join the dots.

Why are Barcelona fans booing Dembélé?

As the game got going, there was also some serious noise directed from the stands towards Ousmane Dembélé, another PSG star. He, unlike his current teammate, is not going to Madrid in the summer. So why the abuse?

Well, the French winger is a former Barça player, arriving from Borussia Dortmund for a utterly huge transfer fee in 2017.

He didn’t live up to expectations, some of it him being rather average when given the chance; some due to a series of injuries. And then he jumped over to Paris. Either way, he’s not on the Christmas card list of most culés.

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