‘We’re not afraid of anyone’ – Lyon prepare to face PSG with or without Kylian Mbappé in Coupe de France final | OneFootball

One final game remains in the French calendar and with it one final chance to see Kylian Mbappé (25) play in the Paris Saint-Germain shirt as the league winners take on Pierre Sage’s miraculous Olympique Lyonnais.

However, there still remain doubts over whether Luis Enrique will start the all-time top scorer for PSG. The manager had stated that he would select his squad based on assessing “who is ready, who isn’t and who wants it more.” A statement that does not close the door on Mbappé’s involvement but nor does it exactly suggest that the France captain’s place in the team is assured.

The topic might have taken the media by storm, but it is one that Lyon have been steadfastly ignoring as they prepare for their shot at ending a strange season with silverware. The club were bottom of Ligue 1 in November but under Sage were transformed. A place in next season’s Europa League was confirmed on the final day of the season, while a Coupe de France victory could be the cherry on this uneven cake.

‘It’s not the most important thing for me whether Kylian Mbappé plays or not’

Lyon’s sporting director David Friio was asked to address the conversation about Mbappé: “For me, he’s the best player in the world. We simply prepare… we focus on ourselves. We played in Paris not so long ago, Kylian Mbappé didn’t play and we know the result (a 4-1 loss). So we’re just going to focus on ourselves.”

A similar sentiment as Corentin Tolisso (29) who addressed the topic by stating, “We lost 4-1 without Mbappé playing, and we lost 4-1 or 5-1 when Mbappé played (4-1; 3rd of September). So it’s not the most important thing for me whether he plays or not, that’s not my concern. I want Lyon to win, to be good and to make our supporters and the club proud.”

For Saïd Benrahma (28), it likewise didn’t matter whether Mbappé was picked to start or not, “He’s one of the best players in the world at the moment. When he’s on the pitch, it’s complicated, but there you go, it’s football […] It’s always good when he plays because he’s a great player and we’re not afraid of anyone.”

GFFN | Nick Hartland