With "Kyky" and Angel Di Maria, who was playing his last match at the club, President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi was one of the protagonists of a magical evening for PSG, which reconciled him with his fans.

Before the victory against Metz (5-0), he received a cheer from the Parc des Princes when he announced on the microphone that he had "very good news".

After long negotiations, the manager obtained the agreement of Mbappé, eager to leave last year for Real Madrid, to stay until 2025 at PSG, which thus retains its best player.

"NAK" then took part in the celebrations of the tenth national title, in a festive atmosphere with fireworks and songs of ultras, again noisy after weeks of cheering strikes.

Statistics of Kylian Mbappé, star of French football Vincent LEFAI AFP

These demanded his resignation in March, after elimination in the knockout stages of the Champions League against Real (1-0, 1-3).

"It is clear that he is not the man for the job," they wrote.

symbolic blow

In one evening, Al-Khelaïfi signed a potential future Ballon d'Or, regained support from the Auteuil corner and also sacked Leonardo, who paid for the disappointing results of 2021/22 with only one trophy, out of the four targeted.

Kylian Mbappé and President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi at the announcement of the star's extension to PSG, May 21, 2022 at the Parc des Princes Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP

This evening redistributed the cards in favor of the Qatari who wants to open a new era in Paris with Mbappé as "the cornerstone of the project", as he himself admitted.

The two will speak on Monday (3:00 p.m.) in a joint press conference at the Parc des Princes.

The player will also give an interview to the TF1 television news at 8:00 p.m.

Doha, where PSG had made a short promotional tour in mid-May, regained control, and six months before "its" World Cup (November 21-December 18), the gas state needed to make an impression.

"It's a big challenge for Qatar to keep Kylian Mbappé," Raphaël Le Magoariec, a researcher specializing in Gulf countries and sport at the University of Tours, told AFP before the striker's decision. Super star.

"Qatar wants to show that it is not giving up despite the poor performance. And it is the symbol of a country that is anchored in the local sports fabric by investing in a player from the Parisian suburbs", a- he developed.

PSG star Kylian Mbappé joins his partners after an exchange with sports director Leonardo and president Nasser Al-Khelaifi at Camp des Loges, September 27, 2021 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

For him, "it sends a message to the supporters who criticized an owner disconnected from local realities."

The return in force of the emirate in the business of PSG could also intervene via Qatar Airways which, according to the daily L'Équipe, will become this summer the new shirt sponsor of the club, following the French hotel group Accor.

"FC Mbappe"

In Spain, where it was thought that Mbappé would join Real, the stunt of Doha went badly.

"Al-Khelaïfi is as dangerous as the Super League," LaLiga president Javier Tebas tweeted.

The leader of the Spanish Professional League points to the unlimited means of a state made available to a club, which distorts competition.

"It's an INSULT to football," he said, recalling that PSG had lost around 225 million euros in the 2020/21 season.

On social networks too, Madrid fans were indignant at the "choice of money" made by Mbappé, to which PSG made a golden bridge according to several media, to the detriment of the sportsman embodied by Real, who plays the May 28 the Champions League final against Liverpool.

The next bet of QSI, the fund that has held PSG since 2011, is to prove that it is more than a cash machine, and that it can treat with good game, as the United Arab Emirates did. , its Gulf rival, with Manchester City.

Kylian Mbappé opposed to Karim Benzema during the confrontation between PSG and Real Madrid in C1 at the Parc des Princes, February 15, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

The name of the future coach, the current Mauricio Pochettino being threatened, will be essential, even if, according to Raphaël Le Magoariec, the examples of Unai Emery and Thomas Tuchel show that a good technician cannot necessarily flourish in the context particular of the capital.

"What is complex in Qatar is to reconcile both what is a matter of politics and the sports project. We are in very short time frames for politics, while the sport requires several years", he said. he recalled.

"The danger? PSG must not become FC Mbappé. We must ensure that we are not in this rock-star policy. We must find the collective virtues", analyzed the former player Bixente Lizarazu, on TF1.

A new stone at the site could quickly intervene with the appointment of Luis Campos, passed by Monaco and Lille, to take over from Leonardo.

© 2022 AFP