The 23-year-old striker answered questions from the media on Monday, on the eve of the match against Juventus on Tuesday, during the first day of C1.
If the Pogba affair and the «penaltygate» have an influence despite a successful start to the season : «The answer is in the question, the start of the season is successful even if it can be even better, I had a setback in my preparation but I managed to perform right away. You have to know how to make allowances: what happens outside the field stays outside and what happens on the field, happens on the field. The most important thing is to help his team in all circumstances.»
Achraf Hakimi : «He must keep this requirement. I know him more intimately, he came back with other intentions, another requirement, a daily requirement. Last year he started well, in a post-transfer momentum. Afterwards, he had more difficult times. It was a season of adaptation. He knows that the club, the players, we rely on him a lot. He came back with this desire to show his quality, he plays in a different register and is one of the first beneficiaries of the move to three-man defense, for an attacking side to play piston is very pleasant. It’s up to him to continue like this, he can do even better. It’s also up to us to push it to make it as efficient as possible. It is in his interest and that of PSG.»
His role at the club and in the team : “How has it changed since the extension?In nothing. I’m still in the same role as last season, I try to do the same job, perform well on the pitch, be as decisive as possible and win all possible titles, if possible…»
It’s his word against his brother’s… I’m going to trust his teammate.
Kylian Mbappe
His relationship with Paul Pogba altered or not : «No. Today, I prefer to trust the teammate’s word. He called me, he gave me his version of the facts. It’s his word against his brother’s… I’m going to trust his team-mate, in the interest of the selection too. We have great competition. He is already in some trouble, it’s not the time to add more for him… We’ll see how it goes, I’m pretty detached from all that.»
Dusan Vlahovic : «He is a quality striker. He confirmed to Juve that he is one of the best of his generation. He can still do a lot better, and that’s what’s great, he has a lot to give even though he’s given a lot… I’m not taking a risk saying that he will be an important striker in the future.»
The Paris project : «If it conforms to what was sold during the negotiations to extend? This is neither the place nor the time and I am not the best person to answer. You have to ask the people involved. We are here for a Champions League game and I think the best thing is to talk about this Champions League game.»
The turnover : «You must accept. It’s easier said than done. But we have to take a step back. As a player and striker, we always have the ambition to score, always score, leave our mark. The coach has a more global eye. You have to trust, know how to trust. If he thinks the best solution is to take us out, we will accept and we will line up behind him because he is the captain of the ship. Now, I won’t have the banana if that happens, but I will respect the coach’s decisions.»
Juventus unbeaten against PSG : «This match has several (aspects). It’s important for PSG to beat big names in football like Juventus. Afterwards, we have a European campaign to start well against Juventus. The fans expect a lot from this competition. It’s up to us to make a good copy and move on. It’s the right time to try to launch this European adventure and continue on this series of victories and good performances since the beginning of the season.»
Penalties : «Who will shoot tomorrow if there is one? We will see, there is always a discussion. We have to see how it goes during the match. Neither Neymar nor I are closed. If the match results in Neymar shooting, Neymar will shoot. If it’s me, it’s me. There is no problem. Number 1 doesn’t mean you take all the penalties. It does not exist in any club and even less when you play with three players like that… You have to share the cake and feel things. You have to know how to put water in your wine. We’ll see tomorrow but there’s no problem with that.»
With Neymar, we have always had a relationship based on respect, with colder moments and warmer ones.
Kylian Mbappe
His relationship with Neymar : «This is our sixth season together, we have always had a relationship based on respect, with colder moments and warmer ones. There are times when you will be able to see that we are the best friends in the world and others, when we speak less to each other… It is the nature of our relationship which is like that but there is a lot of respect. In any case, I have a lot of respect for the player he is, what he represents, the importance he has in our team. When you have two players with a strong character like that, life is not linear, but it always remains in the respect and interest of PSG.»
Win the Champions League : «I always want to win, everyone knows that my objective when I enter the field is to do everything to bring victory. Now the Champions League is a very tough competition, the big teams have strengthened themselves with world-class players, a lot of teams are ready and armed to win. We will fight with our weapons and we will give everything to make the best competition possible. But of course we start with this ambition to win, it’s football, we are competitors.»
Statements taken at a press conference