♦ Kylian Mbappe gave a flat display as his PSG side were beaten by Dortmund
♦ He was given a 2/10 by L’Equipe, which savaged his team-mates in its ratings
Kylian Mbappe has been savaged by L’Equipe in their notorious ratings after his PSG side were dumped out of the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals.
Mbappe is regarded as one of the best players in world football but he was helpless as a brilliant Dortmund side built on their 1-0 first-leg lead – producing the same scoreline in Paris in an impressive performance.
Mats Hummels’ second-half goal was enough to secure a 2-0 win on aggregate to put the unfancied German side in the final at Wembley on June 1, where they will either face Real Madrid or Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.
Mbappe did come close to getting on the scoresheet late on in the game as his strike hit the crossbar – the third occasion of the evening that Luis Enrique’s men struck the woodwork – as they were made to rue their poor finishing.
And L’Equipe – the French newspaper who dishes out infamously brutal verdicts on each player’s performance – didn’t let PSG off the hook as they circled around Mbappe for failing to produce the goods.
Kylian Mbappe led the PSG stars being savaged by L’Equipe in their notorious ratings after they were dumped out of the Champions League by Dortmund
The forward was handed just a two out of ten as they declared that what was likely his last Champions League game with PSG ended up turning into a ‘nightmare’ – declaring he was ‘technically fragile’ and dominated by Hummels.
‘His last match with Paris in [the Champions League] looked like a nightmare,’ it said. ‘Installed on the left side, the attacker was, for a long time, infinitely technically fragile. Dominated in the duel by Hummels, he almost never went one-on-one.
‘He missed his shot from close range [36th minute] and narrowly missed the shot which hit the crossbar [86th minute]. It was ultimately through his returning crosses that he was most dangerous. That’s so little for a Ballon d’Or contender…’
Joining Mbappe in the two out of 10 club was fellow forward Ousmane Dembele, who L’Equipe called ‘messy and disappointing’.
The French outlet said Mbappe’s final Champions League game with PSG was a ‘nightmare’ – calling him ‘technically fragile’ as he was handed a two
Ousmane Dembele was also given a two after his ‘messy and disappointing’ performance
‘He has embodied, sometimes single-handedly, the Parisian offensive [philosophy] in recent months. But [here] it was messy and disappointing. With too much waste in his passing game, dribbling [was] often inefficient. And finally? Creativity at half mast. Very close to [earning] a penalty however [65th minute].’
Elsewhere, four players were handed a three out of 10 as L’Equipe continued to come down hard on the team.
Defender Lucas Beraldo was slammed for ‘dangerously’ losing the ball before being accused of losing Hummels before he scored from a corner.
Midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery ‘looked his age’ at 18-years-old and ‘lacked intensity’ in his duels with other players. Fabian Ruiz also got a three for his ‘questionable contribution’ while they tore into Goncalo Ramos too.
Goncalo Ramos was accused of a ‘crippling lack of effiency’ while 18-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery ‘looked his age – as they were both given a three
‘On such an important [night], the Portuguese did not show the effectiveness of a top European No 9,’ the verdict said. ‘His distant half-volley lacked too much conviction [13th minute]. A crippling lack of efficiency at this level. Overall, it was rarely found. His immense work without the ball cannot save his record.’
There were two four out of tens – handed to Gianluigi Donnarumma and Achraf Hakimi – while centre back Marquinhos and left back Nuno Mendes got a five.
The highest score was a seven, given to Vitinha after he ‘never stopped going’ and showed an ‘irreproachable’ state of mind.
‘The sentinel suffered aggressive pressing from Dortmund and this reduced his influence [31 balls touched at the break] and his connection to the game. But irreproachable in his state of mind, he never stopped going.’
Finally, coach Luis Enrique joined his players in getting a hammering as he was given a three out of ten.