Back from an ankle injury, Kylian Mbappé said he was ready to “leave (his) body on the ground” to win the Champions League.
Kylian Mbappé answered our questions at a press conference, after the historic qualification of PSG for the final of the Champions League. After a victory against Leipzig (3-0), the French striker assured that he was ready to “to leave (his body) on the ground” to go to the end and lift the trophy on Sunday in Lisbon.
How is your agreement with Neymar going? Can he be crowned the best player in the world?
Kylian Mbappé : We get along very well on and off the pitch. It’s important for the collective and it’s very pleasant to play with a player like Neymar. He’s one of the best players in the world. He showed it today, even though he didn’t score. We passed, that’s the most important, and it benefited Di Maria who had a great game. This year, the Ballon d’Or will not be awarded, but if we win the Champions League, of course he will be in a position to win the trophy. Naturally, he is destined to win this type of trophy. I hope he wins it, it will mean that we win the Champions League.
How do you explain this quasi-fraternal relationship with Neymar?
We are roughly in the same age group. We share the same delusions outside. We manage to laugh together. We tell each other things frankly and appreciate each other. The current passed immediately. We each try to stay in our place while maintaining mutual respect. We have fun, we have a lot of fun. And I also think that we have improved in relation to our relationship with others. We are less focused on both. We understood that it is with others that we will win. We will not win only two.
You have known victory in world Cup with the team of France in a knockout tournament. Do you have the impression that there is a parallel with what PSG is going through in this “Final 8”?
Honestly Yes. We have succeeded in creating a group, everyone knows their importance and contributes something to the building. It goes beyond the field stage, we do a lot more activities together. Maybe for some it’s too much, but I think that’s how you win. We did the same in selection, we created a group and it’s easier to run for a friend, to make the sacrifices, when you like it. This is valid in football and in any job. I think we created that at PSG. Afterwards, will it help us win? I don’t know, but it will surely help.
“The night of my injury, I cried all night”
With your ankle injury that occurred on July 24, were you afraid of missing out on the competition?
The truth is that on the evening of the victory against Saint-Etienne (in French Cup, editor’s note), I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was dead. I cried all night. But I woke up the next morning telling myself to try to do my best, caring days, to come home and do some more care. When it is ligamentous, we can always save time. I threw myself into a delirium on my own, maybe I was crazy, but the more it progressed the more there were grounds for hope. I had better feelings, and above all I wanted to be on the adventure. I knew that at some point the team was going to need me, without necessarily my physical presence on the pitch. To bring my good humor. I never wanted to show that I was wrong even though it was a difficult time. The fact of coming back against theAtalanta to help the team to qualify and, today to be able to play again, it was a great pleasure.
Is your injury behind you?
No, it’s not behind me yet. I feel good, better and better. The more the days go by, the better I will feel. But I have to play with a very thick strap (bandage, note), it’s not the best. I have no more pain, but some precautions are needed. But I’m ready to help the team on the pitch as we saw against Atalanta and Tuesday night. All I want is to win. I came here to win. It doesn’t matter if there is pain or not, I will leave my body on the field and do everything to win on Sunday.
Do you have a preference between Lyon and Bayern in the final?
A preference for Lyon, of course, because it is a French club. If we don’t value our championship, who is going to value it? After that I know it will be a very complicated game. If it’s Bayern, it’s Bayern. But if it’s Lyon, it will have a special flavor.
Benjamin Quarez, our special correspondent in Lisbon.
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