Solna (Sweden) (AFP)

The Champions League is digested: Kylian Mbappé made a perfect comeback by scoring with the Blues in Sweden on Saturday (1-0), a first goal for the France team for more than a year, far from the setbacks of his teammates in Paris SG, affected by Covid-19.

For Mbappé (35 caps), it was better to be in Clairefontaine or Solna, north of Stockholm, rather than in Ibiza or Camp des Loges, at the end of summer.

Far from his club, undermined by six cases of new coronavirus brought back in particular by Neymar after a festive holiday on the Spanish island, the prodigy striker is also leading the good life, but in the France team.

In the freshness of the Friends Arena in Solna, totally emptied of its audience by the health crisis, we finally saw the famous celebration of the native of Bondy, arms crossed, thumbs outstretched on pectorals and a broad smile.

Even if this one was carried out in a sad silence, there is relief, because it started casually for a long time that the young Frenchman had not been able to show his talents as a scorer to the cameras of the world.

In Blue, it had been more than a year, because Mbappé's 13th and last goal with the two-star jersey dates back to June 2019, during a trip to Andorra (4-0).

In club, it was six months, since his hat-trick in Lyon in the semi-final of the Coupe de France in early March.

- "Not a robot" -

There was certainly the unprecedented break of spring, but there was also a final phase of the Champions League in Lisbon without the slightest unity on the clock of the one who nevertheless aims for all records.

And, of course, the disappointment of the lost final against Bayern Munich (1-0).

"From the moment he did not have the expected result, he will be criticized more than the others. But it is not a robot either," Didier Deschamps had played down in recent days.

Finding the path to the goal was therefore essential for the 21-year-old Parisian.

Do it with a classy gesture in a very closed angle, even better, even if the Frenchman had the success of benefiting from a favorable counter after his few passing of the leg on the left (41st).

Doing it in the heart of a completely blocked match, without the slightest opportunity for a shy France team, here is another reason for satisfaction.

And this also testifies to the consistency of "Kyky" in Blue: in his last seven matches, he will have been involved in ... seven goals (4 goals, 3 assists).

However, this Swedish comeback almost sounds like a rebirth for Mbappé, after a very frustrating 2019-2020 season on the international level.

He had indeed missed the rallies of September and October last year for a thigh injury, before returning in November for a match against Moldova and then having to miss a meeting in Albania again, "lessened "by a virus.

Assessment before Sweden: only 90 minutes on the clock in Blue over the last 15 months ... Minimal.

- Fragile ankle -

The question of the advisability of his summons for this September rally had also arisen, while PSG had granted a few days of vacation to its players tired of a busy European summer.

Especially that the former Monegasque had whipped to recover from a big sprain of the right ankle contracted at the end of July.

An ankle with which he is also always in delicacy: Saturday evening, he complained about it many times, after a rough contact in the 58th minute, but also from the warm-up, which he accompanied many grimaces.

Grimaces still visible when getting an ice pack after leaving (77th).

But coach Didier Deschamps is not used to doing without his young star when she is available.

Especially since it could, perhaps, leave it to rest on Tuesday against Croatia, 48 hours before the return of PSG to the league in Lens.

A PSG which would also need a Mbappé in good health, to compensate for the six probable packages of its contaminated holidaymakers ...

© 2020 AFP