Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has said Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has become a more stable team since Kylian Mbappe’s departure to Real Madrid earlier this summer. The Frenchman, however, suggested that Mbappe’s departure was still a loss, as the team had lost a bit of “magic.”
PSG Falls Flat Against PSV Eindhoven
French champions PSG locked horns with PSV Eindhoven at the Parc des Princes on Matchday 3 of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season. Having picked up three points from their first two games (1 W, 1 L), the Parisians needed a positive result against the Dutch outfit.
Luis Enrique’s side started strongly but found themselves 1-0 down just past the half-hour mark, with Noa Lang firing the visitors into the lead against the run of play. Les Parisiens opened the second half even more strongly and got themselves on level terms just 10 minutes in, with Achraf Hakimi pulling the trigger in the 55th minute. However, that was as good as it got for the home side, as they failed to find the winner in the remaining 40 minutes of the game, despite finishing with an xG of 2.57. The game ended 1-1 in Paris, pushing the club down to 17th place in the rankings.
Thierry Henry Explains the Effects of Kylian Mbappe’s Departure
On CBS Sports Golazo, 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Henry discussed how things had changed at PSG after Mbappe‘s exit. He began (via GOAL):
“I think they are a team. They are a bit more stable, less counters. But they still lost Mbappe. It’s very difficult. For example in a game like that, Kylian can turn it into a 2-1 or a winning goal towards the end, a moment of magic. He can turn it around. You lost a bit of magic but the team looks a bit more sound in terms of balance. But obviously, the result is not good enough.”
When Jamie Carragher quizzed whether Mbappe’s exit had reduced the pressure on PSG, Henry replied:
“No, the same. You decided to get rid of those guys. The way it was with the crowd and everything, they decided to go young and I was calling that when I was in France. But when you go young, you can’t go full young too early. You need to have a couple of guys that can be around. Marquinhos stayed, [Achraf] Hakimi is passing the veteran status. You need to have guys that can help those guys to be better also. It doesn’t mean that because Kylian Mbappe left it is easier, I think [Luis Enrique] has to be disappointed in that result tonight.”
Mbappe emerged as PSG’s all-time leading scorer during his seven-year stint at the club between 2017 and 2024. He played 308 matches in all competitions, scoring 256 games and providing 108 assists.
