When the 23-year-old decided to stay at Paris Saint-Germain, he sparked outrage in Spain, but Vincent Labrune has come to his and the club’s defense.
Following La Liga counterpart Javier Tebas’s complaints about Kylian Mbappe’s contract extension at Paris Saint-Germain, the president of the French Professional League (LFP) has hit back.
After more than a year of speculation that the French striker was set to join Real Madrid, he chose to reject the Spanish club’s offer and continue his career in France.
The deal sparked outrage in Spain, with Tebas calling it a “insult to football” and La Liga promising to file a complaint with UEFA and the European Union.
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What has the LFP president said to Tebas?
LFP chief Vincent Labrune has hit back at Tebas in a letter written to the president of La Liga, saying his remarks were “unacceptable” and “completely inappropriate”.
“We would like to express in the strongest terms our disapproval, but also our incomprehension, of your latest attacks against Ligue 1 and one of our clubs,” he wrote.
“We are all the more shocked by these attacks as you are president. of the European Leagues (supposed to represent all leagues in Europe, including Ligue 1) and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee (whose role is to promote the collective interests of European football).
“Your attacks on Ligue 1 and one of our clubs, Paris Saint-Germain, and one of our players, Kylian Mbappe, are based on your own interpretation of financial unsustainability and competitive imbalance, which you repeatedly attribute to Ligue 1 and one of our clubs.
“Today your disrespectful remarks seem to be directed at Kylian Mbappe, who is widely recognised as one of the best players in the world and who simply did not join your league, by choice, despite a similar offer.
“Unlike you, Ligue 1 salutes and promotes players in our league and across Europe – including those in your league. Someone in your various functions would be well advised to do the same.”
Labrune criticises Real Madrid and Barcelona debt
Labrune highlighted Real Madrid’s huge wage bill and the massive debt of Barcelona as bigger issues than PSG’s renewal with Mbappe, adding: “Two of your clubs have broken a multitude of records in the past decade. These two clubs have broken the world record [transfer fee] six times.
“In terms of player salaries, Real Madrid currently has two of the highest-paid players in world football sat on their bench. Barcelona is reported to have a debt level of €1.5 billion.”
