By CNN
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French soccer star Kylian Mbappé was unusually substituted at half-time during Paris Saint-Germain’s 0-0 draw against Monaco on Friday.
He then watched the rest of the game from the stands with his mother, rather than joining his teammates on the subs bench.
The 25-year-old is reportedly leaving the club to join Real Madrid at the end of the season, according to multiple reports in February, including Le Parisien and ESPN who cited unnamed sources.
For years, Mbappé has been linked with a possible move to the Spanish giant, seemingly straining his relationship with PSG such as when he refused to sign a new contract beyond 2024. As a result, he was left out of the club’s Japan tour last summer and trained with the PSG “undesirables” after the team reportedly put him on sale.
“Sooner or later, we will have to get used to playing without Kylian. It’s a decision that I made with the aim of doing the best for the team,” PSG manager Luis Enrique said after Friday’s game, according to TNT Sports which, like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros Discovery.
Enrique added that it was “100% a coach’s decision” to replace Mbappé with Randal Kolo Muani, rather than any injury to his star player who received treatment on his ankle shortly before half-time.
“I’m not going to get into this game,” Enrique said in response to further questions. “I’m a professional, I don’t have a problem. It’s just a question of handling a situation that is best for the team.”
Videos posted on social media showed Mbappé walking around the stadium concourse in a black tracksuit while the game continued behind him, posing for a selfie and waving to the crowd.
Despite drawing against Monaco, PSG still enjoys a 12-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 as it seeks a tenth league title in 12 years. It will next take to the field on Tuesday in the second leg of its Champions League round of 16 clash against Real Sociedad.
