PSG head coach Luis Enrique says star man Kylian Mbappe has not been affected by the speculation surrounding him as they prepare to host Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday.
Mbappe is rumoured to have agreed to join Real Madrid ahead of next season, while his club is in the dark about his future.
The speedy attacker missed PSG’s 3-1 win against Lille due to an ankle injury over the weekend. Mbappe is set to return for the big night at Parc de Princes.
“This is not the way I feel and therefore I feel neither joy nor sadness. He (Mbappé) is as usual.
“When a team has a player like Kylian Mbappé, of course we know that the more he plays the better, because we all benefit from that.
“There is no doubt about it. He could have played [on Saturday] if it had been a final, but it wasn’t, it was not worth the risk. Kylian Mbappé is available, just like the other players,” Enrique noted.
Mbappe has managed to 30 goals in 29 games in all competitions this season.
Enrique is aware of the threat posed by Sociedad, and has urged his club to press high from the beginning.
“Real Sociedad have a tight defence in the Champions League, they don’t give the ball away easily. We have to press them aggressively.
“They are certainly one of the best teams in the competition, that is why they qualified as group winners. They were in a group with last year’s finalists,” Enrique said.
