Kylian Mbappe was substituted by Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique for the second game running as they were held to a goalless draw with AS Monaco on Friday night.
The 25-year-old was named in the starting XI as the Ligue 1 leaders attempted to go 14 points clear of Brest at the summit at the Stade Louis II.
But after a frustrating half for Mbappe, PSG emerged from the tunnel for the second half without their superstar after he was replaced by Randal Kolo Muani.
Instead of joining his team-mates on the bench, Mbappe went to sit in the stands, where his entourage and mother were sitting. It is not yet known if his withdrawal was injury-related, or if it was a tactical decision from Luis Enrique.
The forward did suffer a heavy challenge from Guillermo Maripan midway through the first half, requiring medical treatment on the pitch, before he was able to carry on.
Either way, it represents the second time in as many matches that he has not lasted the full 90 minutes since he privately informed the club he would not be renewing his contract and entered talks with Real Madrid.
When PSG trailed 1-0 against Rennes in their previous match, the France international was stunned to see his shirt number appear on the fourth official’s board. It proved to be a wise decision as his replacement, Goncalo Ramos, salvaged a point with a 97th-minute penalty to draw the game 1-1.
A sign of things to come
PSG looked blunt in attack without their top scorer Mbappe, who has 32 goals in all competitions this season, and failed to find the back of the net on a frustrating night.
Monaco came out of the blocks fast and should have taken the lead after Wissam Ben Yedder, Folarin Balogun and Takumi Minamino all squandered chances to put them in front. Ben Yedder then found the net after rounding Gianluigi Donanrumma, only for the offside flag to go up against him.
After the break, PSG finally upped the ante with Bradley Barcola and substitute Ousmane Dembele forcing saves out of Monaco goalkeeper Radislaw Majecki and the Pole was forced into action to keep out Vitinha’s effort as the league leaders turned the screw.
But with no Mbappe to provide a touch of class, PSG struggled to find a winner and for only the second time this season, Luis Enrique’s men have gone back-to-back games without a win to offer a bleak glimpse of the future without their star man.
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