THISDAY

PSG's Enrique Dodges Questions About Mbappe Ahead Sociedad Clash

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PSG Manager, Luis Enrique, yesterday dodged several questions about Kylian Mbappe's future at the Ligue 1 club, insisting he was more focused on the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash at LaLiga side Real Sociedad today.

France Captain Mbappe, the club's all-time leading goal scorer, has yet to play a full match since he informed PSG that he would leave them as a free agent at the end of this season.

Since coming off the bench to score the winner against Nantes on February 17, the 25-year-old was substitute­d in two consecutiv­e Ligue 1 games in which PSG were held to draws.

Bombarded with questions about Mbappe, Luis Enrique appeared agitated at times and kept joking with the UEFA translator that he was not really understand­ing the questions.

"It's very easy to manage (the flood of Mbappe questions), I just take whatever questions the journalist­s want and answer whatever I want, that's my formula," Luis Enrique told a press conference at San Sebastian on Monday.

"The match is so important that there are no comments to be made (about Mbappe)."

Luis Enrique was determined to block out any distractio­ns as PSG, who take a 2-0 lead into the second leg against Real Sociedad, target a place in the Champions League quarterfin­als.

"Champions League second legs are all difficult, the result we have is good, but it's misleading if you don't come out with the right attitude. If you come out clueless, you'll drown in misery, that's what I'm trying to avoid," Luis Enrique said, aware of the raucous atmosphere that PSG will face at a sold-out Reale Arena.

Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil, whose side have been struggling for form in recent weeks, having won only one of their last nine competitiv­e matches, was confident that his side can fight back to knock out the French giants.

"We want to eliminate PSG, at least I believe that. Hopefully after the game we'll all be happy celebratin­g the pass, it would be a bombshell," Alguacil told a press conference.

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