PSG are facing a potential ban from the Champions League this season amid a dispute with their former star player Kylian Mbappe, according to reports in France.
Mbappe left PSG this summer to fulfil his lifelong dream of playing for Real Madrid following seven years in the French capital, where he won six Ligue 1 titles and made it to one Champions League final.
Speaking in May, Mbappe announced his decision to leave PSG in an emotional statement to the club’s fans.
“It’s a lot of emotions, many years where I had the chance and the great honour to be a member of the biggest French club, one of the best in the world, which allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure and to grow as a player of course by being alongside some of the best in history,” he told supporters.
The Frenchman got off to the perfect start as a Madrid player in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta as he netted the second goal of a 2-0 win, to open his account for the club.
However, Carlo Ancelotti’s side endured a tougher start to domestic competition by dropping points in a 1-1 draw with Mallorca with Mbappe failing to score on his La Liga debut.
Despite leaving Paris over two months ago, Mbappe is still locked in a dispute with PSG and the club’s owners Qatar Sports Investments, which it could potentially cost French champions their place in the Champions League this season.
According to Le Monde, Mbappe is yet to receive €55 million (£46.8m) that he claims he is owed from his final lucrative deal with PSG.
This includes the final instalment of his signing bonus worth €36 million (£30.6m), which was due to be paid in February, as well as the last three months of his wages from his contract for April, May, and June.
Mbappe claims he is also due to be paid an ‘ethical bonus’ for these three months missed, with the player’s counsel sending PSG a formal notice in mid-June, as revealed by L’Equipe.
The report claims that despite attempting to avoid a major dispute, Mbappe’s continued failure to secure payment has forced the 25-year-old into serious action.
He has now reportedly referred the matter to the legal committee of the French Professional Football League (LFP) and, via the French Football Federation (FFF), to European football’s governing body, UEFA.
The involvement of the LFP could end up being disastrous for PSG as the organisation has the power to enforce a transfer ban on the club, as well as stripping them of their UEFA license – which would result in an immediate ban from the Champions League.
The report adds that any club taking part in UEFA competitions must provide proof they have no salary outstanding payments to their personnel due no later than February 28 preceding the license season.
Therefore, PSG are at risk of losing their UEFA club license granted for the 2024/25 campaign if the matter with Mbappe is not resolved.
As reported by Get French Football News, PSG claim that Mbappe’s wage arrears are justified by ‘commitments’ made by the player to renounce them in the event of a departure as a free agent.
However, it is claimed that ‘no agreement has been ratified between the two parties since 2023 on the matter’.
It is still unconfirmed if Mbappe and his legal representatives will take the case to the French courts if the matter remains unresolved.
SPORTbible has contacted PSG and Kylian Mbappe’s representatives for comment.