On Sunday, Kylian Mbappé departed from his usual composure to provoke the Brest crowd. It was an unusual sight, so what led to this behavior?
Kylian Mbappé was clearly irritated when he left the field after playing against Brest. PSG’s captain taunted the crowd after scoring a penalty and then being substituted. This action drew criticism from some journalists but was fiercely defended by the player himself.
So, what exactly transpired? According to RMC Sport, Brest supporters had been singing insulting chants directed at Mbappé and Achraf Hakimi. This is what PSG’s forward took issue with. It’s important to note that the Moroccan full-back has been under investigation for several months on allegations of sexual assault but has not yet been tried or convicted in the case.
While PSG coach Luis Enrique preferred to avoid discussing the issue, Brest’s coach, Eric Roy, believed that Mbappé’s behavior was inappropriate. « I find it ridiculous. He should be above all that. The atmosphere at the stadium was generally wholesome. Of course, it’s normal for him, as the star player, to be taunted, but after scoring two goals and putting on the performance he did, he should rise above it, » said the Breton coach during a press conference.
Roy continued, « If I go back twenty years, because today we’ve established the highest level of protection in stadiums, incidents are very rare. But if I think back twenty years, this match could have escalated, it could have been serious. There might be things to be done because this is going to happen often. I’m not interested in going on and on about it, but it tarnishes the image of this match. »