PSG football chief Leonardo says it’s too soon to consider the futures of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Leonardo was pushed about the pair after their Champions League semifinal defeat to Manchester City,
Leonardo insisted: “Honestly, now is not the time to decide or announce anything.
“We must be proud of what we have done. Our goal is to win.
“We got out of very difficult situations during the competition. I am optimistic for the future.”
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Ander Herrera is confident attacking stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar want to stay.
Ahead of their Champions League clash with Manchester City, Mbappe continues to be linked with Real Madrid, while Neymar is being mentioned in a return to Barcelona.
Herrera told Marca: “Can PSG afford to lose Neymar and Mbappé? I want to focus on enjoying each day with them and getting all the important things done.
“Of course, I would like them to continue with us.
“PSG have created a structure around them. I sincerely think that they are happy, convinced by the project and that they want to stay.”
Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe is house-hunting in Madrid.
Goal says Mbappe has hired some trusted advisors to indentify a select number of properties for his consideration this summer.
Mbappé’s contract with the Parisian club runs to June 2022 and it is an open secret that he is the priority target of Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez for the next season.
The striker has stated he wants to focus with PSG to the end of the campaign, though it’s now being claimed he’s preparing to move to Spain.
For their part, PSG will be seeking at least €120m to sell.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez insists he’s not spoken to PSG star Kylian Mbappe “in years”.
With less than 18 months to run on his contract, Mbappe has been linked with a summer move to Real.
But Perez told El Chiringuito: “They tell me on the street, ‘Presi, sign Mbappé!’. I say ‘calm down’.
“Madrid need a change and I’m not talking about Mbappé. We have won many things, but we have to move and recover the illusion. It is not easy with the current situation, but I am in that job.
“I have not spoken with Mbappé, I do not know if he wants to renew. I don’t know, I haven’t talked to him for years, I don’t know more than what I read in the newspapers.
“I do everything possible so that Madrid does not lose its rightful place. But it is true that we entered 900 million and now we enter 600.”
Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino is determined not to lose Kylian Mbappe.
With Real Madrid and Liverpool keen, the France international’s current contract with the Ligue 1 champions expires next summer and talks over a new deal have yet to bear fruit.
The Argentine said: “The objective is to keep the best players.
“The club wants to win the Champions League and the objective of this club is to keep Neymar and Kylian for many years.
“For three months we have had a very good relationship. Both players are very committed to the club. Every team wants to have them in their ranks. I am optimistic that they will stay.
“After sharing a changing room with Kylian for three months, I will fight with all my might to keep him with us.”
Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris St-Germain produced a superb away performance to beat title holders Bayern Munich in a thrilling Champions League quarter-final first leg.
This was a meeting between last year’s finalists and they both contributed in a hugely entertaining game that in itself would have been worthy of being the final of the competition.
Mbappe took just three minutes to make his mark as he was fed by Neymar and the striker thumped a drive through Manuel Neuer’s legs.
Marquinhos doubled the lead for the French champions midway through the first half with a neat finish from a great ball by Neymar before ex-PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting headed home to halve the deficit.
Neuer made amends for his earlier mistake by denying Neymar from point-blank range early in the second half, before Keylor Navas kept out strikes from David Alaba and Benjamin Pavard at the other end.
But Bayern Munich kept up the pressure and deservedly levelled on the hour mark when Thomas Muller guided a header into the back of the net from Joshua Kimmich’s free kick.
However, Mbappe had the final say as he swept a low strike through Jerome Boateng’s legs late on to give PSG a third crucial away goal heading into the second leg.
A hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe helped Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) hammer FC Barcelona 4-1 at the Camp Nou on Tuesday in the 2020/2021 UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool, just like PSG, are also on course for the quarter-finals of the competition, after having won 2-0 away to RB Leipzig.
The elite tournament resumed with the first knock-out ties of the last 16 in the continental competition played during the coronavirus pandemic.
Barca hosted PSG behind closed doors while RB Leipzig welcomed Liverpool to Budapest as Germany is currently not allowing non-citizens/residents to enter the country from the UK.
Lionel Messi’s penalty kick gave FC Barcelona the lead but Mbappe struck either side of half-time.
Moise Kean added another and Mbappe completed his hat-trick with a superb finish as PSG took control of the tie that was a repeat of the sensational encounter at this stage in 2017.
On that occasion, FC Barcelona overturned a 4-0 first leg deficit 6-1 at home and must now launch a similar comeback attempt – this time in Paris on March 10.
That is when six-time champions Liverpool, last winners in 2019, will expect to finish the job against RB Leipzig at Anfield.
Second half goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane earned them a deserved win in the duel between German bosses Juergen Klopp and Julian Nagelsmann in the Hungarian capital.
On Wednesday, FC Porto meet Juventus and Sevilla host Borussia Dortmund while holders Bayern Munich resume away to Lazio next Tuesday.
Neymar was influential in turning the tie with PSG in FC Barcelona’s favour four years ago but the Brazilian star missed the match with his former club due to injury.
But PSG – with 22-year-old Mbappe almost untouchable – scarcely missed him.
Mbappe’s quick-feet in the penalty box after a nice flick from Marco Verrati levelled the match.
His clinical finish when Marc-Andre ter Stegen could only parry a 65th minute cross put PSG in front.
Ter Stegen had previously denied Mbappe on several occasions and did so again before Kean was given space at a free-kick to head home unchallenged with 20 minutes left.
Barca tried to rally but left themselves exposed and Mbappe curled into the top corner after Julian Draxler raced clear on the counter to cap a glorious night for Maurico Pochettino.
He had coached PSG only since early this year.
PSG, who beat RB Leipzig in the semi-finals last season, were superior even when Messi gave the hosts the lead from the penalty kick spot. That was after Layvin Kurzawa accidentally clipped Frenkie de Jong in the 27th minute.
RB Leipzig too are up against it, having come within inches of the opener at the Puskas Arena when Dani Olmo headed off the post in just two minutes.
Liverpool slowly took control and had already threatened several times before RB Leipzig imploded with two horrific errors early in the second half.
Marcel Sabitzer’s pass inadvertently released Salah to finish well.
And when Dayot Upamecano – who confirmed a move to Bayern Munich this week – fluffed a 58th minute clearance, Mane showed no mercy.
Liverpool, who are riddled with defensive problems and injuries all season, are out of contention to retain their Premier League title but at least one more round in the Champions League looks likely.
Real Madrid plan to sell six players this summer to raise funds for the signing of Paris St Germain’s France striker Kylian Mbappe,
Wales forward Gareth Bale, Brazil left-back Marcelo, Serbia striker Luka Jovic and Spanish trio Isco, Dani Ceballos and Brahim Diaz are the players earmarked.
Madrid president Florentino Perez is convinced he can sign PSG star Kylian Mbappe this summer
Now inside the final 18 months of his current deal, the future of Mbappe in Paris is clouded, particularly with claims in France that new coach Mauricio Pochettino is prepard to see the striker moved on.
AS says Florentino expects Mbappe’s price to range between €150m to Neymar’s record €222m this summer.
And there is hope at Real that by the end of the season Spain’s lockdown will end and fans will be allowed back into the stadiums to help boost revenue.
Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe paid tribute to Thomas Tuchel after multiple media reports said the German coach had been sacked by the French Ligue 1 club.
French sports daily L’Equipe and German newspaper Bild said the 47-year-old, who helped PSG reach the Champions League final in August which they lost to Bayern Munich, was dismissed after Wednesday’s 4-0 win over Racing Strasbourg.
“It is sadly the law of football. Nobody will forget your time here. You wrote a wonderful part of the club’s history and I say to you: ‘thank you, coach’,” Mbappe said in an Instagram post on Thursday that was accompanied by a picture of him with Tuchel.
The club has not confirmed Tuchel’s departure. L’Equipe reported that Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, the former manager of English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, is set to be named Tuchel’s successor.
Tuchel was appointed PSG head coach in 2018 and has won two Ligue 1 titles along with a domestic quadruple in his second season at the club.
Pochettino, who played for PSG as a defender in the early 2000s, has been out of a job since being dismissed by Spurs in November 2019.
He guided the London side to the Champions League final in the 2018-19 season.
“Pochettino is being lined up by @PSG_English. A terrific coach whose only minus is the lack of winning trophies… Well that’s about to change,” former England and Spurs striker Gary Lineker tweeted.
Former Argentina international Juan Pablo Sorin said: “Pochettino to @PSG_inside? Hopefully.”
Kylian Mbappe is prepared to sign a new contract and stay with PSG – if Sergio Ramos arrives from Real Madrid.
That’s according to Spanish pundit Alfredo Duro, when speaking on El Chiringuito.
PSG are prepared to offer Ramos a three-year contract worth €60m to convince him to leave Madrid. Duro says PSG captain Neymar has called Ramos to encourage him to make the move to Paris.
He revealed the subject of the call, “Sergio, if you sign for PSG, let you know that I will renew for PSG the next day, but after me, something else will happen … another will renew, Kylian Mbappé will renew.
“If you join PSG, we will win at least two European Cups.”
Ramos’ contract at Real Madrid expires in June.