Luis Enrique Says PSG Can Win Champions League Even Without Mbappe
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) boss Luis Enrique believes the club can win the UEFA Champions League (UCL) even without their star player Kylian Mbappe, who has confirmed he will leave at the end of the season.
PSG ended their season on a high note by winning the French Cup, defeating Lyon 2-1 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz scored the goals that helped them lift the title, securing three domestic trophies for the season.
That match marked Mbappe’s final game with PSG, although he did not score. He leaves the club as its all-time top scorer with 256 goals in 308 matches.
“I have had the good fortune to coach Kylian this season,” Enrique said at the post-game press conference. “It has been a difficult one for him after seven years at his club and all that he has achieved, it is difficult to say goodbye.”
Enrique acknowledged that Mbappe is irreplaceable but emphasized that the team would find success through collective effort and new signings. “There is no substitute for Mbappe, we cannot replace him, we will do it through the team and four, five, or six signings we can make,” he said. “Kylian’s replacement will be the team that, along with the fans and our ambition, will try to win everything in the following seasons.”
PSG reached the Champions League semi-finals this season but were defeated by Borussia Dortmund. Their closest attempt to winning the title was in 2020, when they lost to Bayern Munich in the final.
“A big challenge for any player who wants to come is that we want to make history and this club will win the Champions League sooner or later. It is difficult, but this team will do it,” Enrique said. “This season is coming to an end, but negotiations are already starting and there are possibilities to improve the squad. It is still an impressive project.”
Enrique remains optimistic about PSG’s future and believes that with the right additions, the team will continue to compete at the highest level and achieve their goal of winning the Champions League.
