Kylian Mbappe, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, played his last home game for the club on May 12. File
| Photo Credit: AFP

Kylian Mbappé’s relationship with Paris Saint-Germain started with great fanfare but is ending amid ongoing tensions and without a Champions League trophy.

Mbappé joined as a teenage phenom from Monaco in 2017 in a deal worth 180 million euros ($194 million). On May 12, the 25-year-old superstar played his last home game for Paris Saint-Germain F.C. (PSG) and scored in a 3-1 loss to Toulouse.

He was loudly jeered by sections of the crowd at Parc des Princes when his name was announced two days after finally making it official he is leaving — though Mbappé got a warmer welcome from other PSG fans.

As the soccer world discussed his imminent departure on May 10, French champion PSG did not comment on the matter.

The late-evening announcement by Mbappé may have taken PSG by surprise since it was in a video posted on X, and not through the club’s communication department.

Between then and the May 12 night kickoff, there were more than 20 posts on PSG’s official feed on X.

Those included an exclusive look at next season’s home strip, an item on a betting site, a clip of PSG’s women’s team reaching the French Cup final, and kickoff times for the match in different parts of the world but nothing on Mbappé. No tribute was paid to him by the club during Sunday’s game, either, albeit not the last match of the season.

It was left to the ultra supporters from the CUP, or Paris Ultras Collective, to honor him with a banner and a giant tifo in his image.

The fracture between the cash-rich Qatari-owned club and its 256-goal record scorer appears to run deep.

Here’s a look at how relations deteriorated.

New contract

PSG may be feeling let down by Mbappé after offering him the most lucrative contract in the club’s history when he signed a new contract in 2022.

But Mbappé was frustrated because he felt promises to sign key players — notably a top-class center forward like Robert Lewandowski so he could play in his favored position wide left — were not kept.

When he signed the new deal, he was paraded in front of fans holding up a jersey with 2025 on it. Mbappé was reportedly annoyed about this, because the contract was until 2024 with the option for an extra year.

Offer declined

Mbappé stunned PSG in June last year by informing the club he would not take the option for an extra year. With his contract effectively into its final year, it put PSG in the position of needing to sell Mbappé to avoid losing him for free when the contract expired.

PSG insisted he would be sold but Mbappé wanted to see out the final year, so the club flexed its muscle by leaving him out of the pre-season tour to Japan in late July.

Al-Hilal came in with a world record $332 million bid, but Mbappé was not interested and reportedly refused to meet with representatives from the Saudi club in Paris.

Fallout and tensions

After being left out of the preseason tour, Mbappé posted a photo of himself online after training with some fringe players, stopping to sign autographs outside the club’s training complex.

The standoff continued when Mbappé was dropped for this season’s opening league game, watching from the stands as PSG drew 0-0.

With Lionel Messi gone and Neymar on his way to join Saudi club Al-Hilal, PSG coach Luis Enrique simply could not afford to keep overlooking Mbappé. He returned in the next league game and scored a penalty.

Time to leave

Relations appeared to be repaired for a while, but they took another turn for the worse when Mbappé informed club president Nasser Al Khelaifi in mid-February that he was leaving, although he did not go public until May 10.

In between times, Mbappé’s relationship with Enrique — knowing his best player would be leaving — reportedly became more tense.

Enrique showed his authority in recent weeks by either putting Mbappé on the bench or taking him off during important games.

Lower status

Mbappé’s near-untouchable status at PSG was suddenly in question. When Enrique replaced him midway through the second half against bitter rival Marseille on March 31, a surprised Mbappé appeared to mutter something negative as he walked off.

Enrique said he was rotating Mbappé to keep him fresher for the bigger games. They jumped into each other’s arms after PSG knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League quarterfinals, with Mbappé scoring twice in the second leg.

But resting Mbappé made no difference in the semifinals against Borussia Dortmund, with Mbappé failing to score as PSG lost both games 1-0.

Once again, PSG fell short in European soccer’s elite club competition. Mbappé’s last PSG match will be on May 25 in the French Cup final against Lyon.

Joselu of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg match between Real Madrid and FC Bayern Munich at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on May 8, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

After yet another magical night at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Real Madrid is back in the Champions League final.

The 14-time European champion pulled off another thrilling comeback on Wednesday, rallying to defeat Bayern Munich 2-1 and reach the final for the second time in three seasons.

Like it happened so many times in 2022, Madrid needed some late drama to advance.

Joselu scored in the 88th minute and then in stoppage time as Madrid advanced 4-3 on aggregate to set up a final against Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in London.

“Well, it has happened again what has happened so many times before,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “It’s inexplicable. Fans who push us on, a fantastic stadium, players who never stop believing — it’s simply something magical.” Bayern had taken the lead on an Alphonso Davies goal in the 68th — and then deep in stoppage time thought it had equalized but hadn’t because of an offside call that Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel described as “disastrous” and “against the rules.”

Joselu’s first goal was a tap in after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer spilled an easy save. The second was initially called off for offside but was eventually allowed after video review.

“You always dream of being part of moments like this,” the 34-year-old Joselu said. “Not even my best dreams were as good as this.”

It will be Madrid’s record-extending 18th European Cup final, and ninth in the Champions League era, also a record. Madrid beat Liverpool when it last made it to the final in 2022, a season marked by several late comebacks like that one it pulled off on Wednesday.

Madrid at the time pulled off thrilling comebacks at the Bernabeu against Manchester City in the semifinals, Chelsea in the quarterfinals and Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.

Six-time European champion Bayern was looking to return to the final for the first time since winning the competition in 2019-20. The loss meant there will be no rematch of the all-German final in 2013, when Bayern beat Dortmund to win its fifth European title.

“It hurts. It’ll take a while to recover, but on the one hand it’s a loss where we left it all out on the pitch,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said. “Of course, it’s tough to accept. It’s part of reality. No regrets.”

Dortmund, the 1997 European champion, eliminated Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 on aggregate on Tuesday.

It was a mostly even match but Madrid created the most significant scoring chances. But it had not been able to get past what was a terrific performance by Neuer, who had made a series of difficult saves to keep Bayern in the match.

But the German international faltered in the final minutes, dropping an easy ball after a shot by Vinícius Júnior and allowing Joselu — who came off the bench in the 81st — to equalize from in front of the goal.

“Manu, who had been exceptional in saving us all night, made a mistake he wouldn’t make in another 100 years,” Tuchel said.

Neuer said “anyone who’s ever played football knows how I’m feeling right now.”

“That we’ve been knocked out in the closing stages, having led 1-0 until the 85th minute, it’s extremely bitter,” he said. “We’d taken one step to London, we saw ourselves in the final and now I’m lost for words.”

Joselu, a German-born striker, then gave Madrid the lead a minute into stoppage time after a cross by Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger off the left side.

The linesman initially raised the flag for offside, and it took a few moments before Madrid players and the crowd at the Bernabeu could celebrate the winner.

Bayern loudly complained at the end after a goal by Matthijs de Ligt didn’t count because the referee blew the whistle for offside without letting the play be completed.

De Ligt said the linesman apologized to him, saying he “made a mistake” for raising the flag without letting the play continue.

Davies, who had entered the match in the 27th to replace the injured Serge Gnabry, had given Bayern the lead by beating Rüdiger in a one-on-one situation, cutting back toward the middle of the area before firing a right-footed shot into the far corner past Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

Madrid thought it had equalized a couple of minutes later but the goal was called off after video review because of a foul by defender Nacho Fernández on Joshua Kimmich.

Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain looks dejected as Mats Hummels of Borussia Dortmund celebrates victory with teammates after Borussia Dortmund defeat Paris Saint-Germain during the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg on May 7, 2024 in Paris, France.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Borussia Dortmund showed great composure to reach their third Champions League final after Mats Hummels’ second-half goal earned the visitors a 1-0 victory against misfiring Paris St Germain for a deserved 2-0 aggregate win on Tuesday.

Hummels headed home from a corner five minutes into the second half to send the Germans, who won the title in 1997, into their first final in Europe’s top club competition since 2013.

They will meet either 14-times champions Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, who clash at the Bernabeu on Wednesday after a 2-2 draw in the first leg, in the June 1 showdown at Wembley.

PSG hit the woodwork four times but failed to find the net as Kylian Mbappe, who is widely expected to leave the club at the end of the season, was a shadow of his usual brilliant self.

PSG, who entered the tie as favourites to reach their second final after they finished runners-up in 2020, made an aggressive start and Mbappe had their first chance in the seventh minute with a half-volley as the hosts piled on the pressure.

With Mbappe on the left flank and Goncalo Ramos as a lone striker, the France forward had some space out wide and the possibility to cut in and threaten the Dortmund goal.

The visitors, however, were composed and held firm. Their confidence grew and they had their first opportunity through Julian Ryerson, whose shot hit the side netting.

Dortmund had a better chance in the 35th when, after a sharp counter attack following a woeful Mbappe miss, Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off a brilliant save to deny Karim Adeyemi.

PSG were lucky the score on the night was level at halftime.

Luis Enrique’s side stepped up a gear after the break with Warren Zaire Emery’s shot hitting the outside of the post after Mbappe’s attempt was deflected into his path by Ramos.

But Dortmund were more clinical as Hummels headed home from a corner five minutes after the interval to double the German side’s advantage over the two legs.

Ramos’s shot on the turn then went just over and Nuno Mendes’s 25-metre missile hit the post as PSG reacted swiftly.

Another Mbappe attempt was deflected onto the bar before Vitinha’s powerful shot also hit the woodwork.

PSG’s Ousmane Dembele was a constant threat after the hour mark but, just like the rest of the team, the France forward came more into the game far too late against a side who never lost their composure and fully deserve their place in the final.

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