Kylian Mbappe-Borussia Dortmund, Act V! For the fifth time in his career, the PSG striker will meet the German club this Tuesday evening (9 p.m.) on the occasion of the entry of the Parisians into the Champions League. Although these meetings generally remained to the benefit of the French international, three of these protests remain in the memory for very special reasons.
An unusual first European double
On this April 12, 2017, Dortmund clearly did not have the spirit to play in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. The German city and the Borussia club, then coached by Thomas Tuchel, are still in shock over the attack carried out a day earlier, just hours before their clash against young Kylian Mbappe’s AS Monaco, who were in front in Europe during the previous round. had come. As the BVB bus passed on its way to Signal Iduna Park, three bombs exploded, notably injuring the arm of the team’s Spanish defender Marc Bartra. The meeting was postponed until the next day, infuriating the former PSG coach, who was deeply hurt by the episode.
Therefore, the match takes place the next day in a unique environment which benefits Roche’s club and Kylian Mbappé. The young striker was the main architect of Monegasque’s victory (3-2): he scored the first double of his young career on the European scene, with incredible clarity, despite the context and the weight of the match. During the success in the return match (3-1), the kid from Bondi would once again find the net and become the youngest player to score 5 goals in C1 at the age of 18 years and four months.
Face to face with Holland for the first time
The first episode of the long-distance rivalry between the two future new stars of the world was written on the pitch of Dortmund on February 18, 2020 during the round of 16 of the Champions League first leg between BVB and PSG. Erling Haaland, 19, was Borussia’s new attraction, having joined from Red Bull Austria just a few weeks earlier. The Norwegian scored goals (9 goals in 6 matches) before facing Kylian Mbappe, who was slightly less decisive (6 goals) in the same period. The balance of power shifts to the former’s advantage, with an impressive double increase in power, speed and efficiency.
If his first goal was nothing extraordinary and highlighted his qualities as a finisher, his second achievement, brutal, hot, violent, breaking Navas’ cage with this ball, still remains in everyone’s memory. happened. A faint noise that no visitor to Signal Iduna Park has forgotten. Meanwhile, Mbappe was very alert for a large part of the match against strong German defenders. In an individual achievement, he still managed to make the difference and provide a decisive pass for Neymar. Paris lost 2–1 but kept the possibility of a comeback intact.
A closed door to history
Kylian Mbappé faced Borussia four times, this being the only meeting where the Frenchman was not decisive. Affected by angina and declared uncertain for a long time, the number 7 played only 29 minutes in the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League this March 11, 2020. For once, the Paris striker is ultimately only a minor player in a major evening in PSG history played behind closed doors at the Parc des Princes while Covid-19 invites itself into our lives.
Cap on the head, attentive spectators of this match, like no other, witness Mbappe’s extinction of Erling Haaland by Presnel Kimpembe at the top of his form. The Frenchman came on in place of Pablo Sarabia in the 63rd minute, but played no role in his team’s qualification (2–0). Which will not prevent him from celebrating this memorable success and communicating with all the supporters gathered in front of the Parc des Princes.