Kylian Mbappe insists he is not worried about Paris Saint-Germain’s upcoming Champions League tie with Manchester United.
Mbappe started as PSG were beaten for the first time in the league this season at the 21st attempt by Lyon, who recovered from Angel di Maria’s seventh-minute opener to win 2-1 on Sunday night.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and assistant Mike Phelan flew to Lyon to watch PSG’s first Ligue 1 defeat of the campaign nine days before they play at Old Trafford in the round-of-16 first leg.
Neymar has been ruled out of both legs with a metatarsal injury and striker Edinson Cavani was replaced by Stoke misfit Maxim Choupo-Moting with PSG trailing in Lyon. Mbappe had chances to prolong PSG’s unbeaten run in an absorbing encounter but the 20-year-old was sanguine, despite the reverse.
“We have not realised our many opportunities,” Mbappe was quoted as saying. “I’m not worried about the Champions League match. We must take it match by match and wait for the Champions League. It feels good to play matches like that (against Lyon).
“Facing teams that play is the best way to prepare for the upcoming deadlines, it’s up to us to win. The goal was to remain undefeated and we will try not to lose again by the end of the season.”
Of Neymar’s absence, Mbappe added: “It’s complicated, yes, to play without Neymar. You must accept it. Last season, he was also injured and it would be nice not to make the same mistakes, otherwise it would mean that we did not learn anything.
“I don’t know if the defeat was deserved. In the first-half, it was deserved but after half-time we still dominated. We started well. We have hurt Lyon, who let the storm pass before starting to hit top gear.
“Lyon had opportunities and scored. We also had situations. After half-time, we put them back in the game. They scored on the only occasion they had, a penalty.”