The departure of Kylian Mbappé is the subject everyone is talking about this Friday after the revelations from RMC Sport on his departure. On the side of Lille and Montpellier in particular, the elements around the PSG striker were talked about before the 22nd day of Ligue 1. Players and coaches reacted to the departure which could impact, or not, the French championship.
The announcement of Kylian Mbappé’s departure is on everyone’s lips. This Thursday, the football world shook when it learned from RMC Sport that the striker would leave PSG at the end of the season.
A departure which should also impact Ligue 1 since if nothing has been decided yet, the trend still sends Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid. On the side of Lille and Montpellier in particular, the subject Kylian Mbappé was discussed in the pre-match press conference.
>> All the information on the future of Kylian Mbappé
Will Ligue 1 lose interest without Mbappé?
Kylian Mbappé is the star attraction of the French championship. Well at the top of the scorer rankings (20 goals scored in Ligue 1, ahead of Wissam Ben Yedder who only scored 11), the Parisian striker attracts crowds to the stadiums. His departure, however, does not scare Paulo Fonseca.
“I am not Kylian’s agent. We always want the best players for our championship but we have a lot of qualities to continue making it one of the best championships in Europe. The world is not going to stop if Kylian goes in Madrid or another club.”
Nabil Bentaleb, Losc midfielder, is more mixed on the repercussions that this departure could have for Ligue 1. “I think he is a player who will be missed in the championship. He is a very good player, after this is not one of my teammates so it won’t change much for me,” said the Algerian international. “He’s the headliner of Ligue 1, afterward I don’t know what impact it will have on whether he changes championship or not.”
In the midst of negotiations for the television rights to the French championship over the period 2024-2029, this announcement could weigh in the balance. With the departure of Kylian Mbappé, is there another star in Ligue 1? The answer is no at first glance.
The departure of Kylian Mbappé is not (necessarily) catastrophic for Ligue 1
“He’s a great young player, when you see the statistics he has, scoring so many goals in so many games, he’s in the great category.” Michel Der Zakarian perfectly summed up what Kylian Mbappé is. He puts on a show and contributes greatly to the prolific matches that PSG can offer. Out of 51 goals scored in Ligue 1, Luis Enrique’s team owes 20 to Mbappé.
A set of things which makes this departure damaging for Montpellier midfielder Arnaud Nordin. “I think you all know him, I know him a little more personally, he remains our best French player and the fact that he is leaving is a real shame for our Ligue 1. Now, if it was his dream to play where he wants, since we still don’t know where he’s going to go, I’ll also be happy for him personally because he’s someone who deserves it and who has already made his mark on French football and Ligue 1.”
If the negative aspects should not be overlooked, this departure is not a disaster either. On the LFP side, according to information collected by RMC Sport, this departure will not weigh in the negotiations for television rights in France. Internationally, the impact could be felt slightly since Ligue 1 is widely followed thanks to Mbappé but nothing alarming.
If the French championship is not the most attractive, the rivalries and the homogeneity of it still give it real interest. By removing PSG from well ahead of the championship this season, Nice, second, is only four points ahead of Lens, sixth. The fight for European places is indeed here. With the departure of Kylian Mbappé, we can imagine that the capital club will be less strong, even if it will recruit new very good players, and we could find a good fight for the title next season.