KEY POINTS

  • Kylian Mbappe rejected a move to Real Madrid and opted to stay at PSG
  • Mbappe has signed a new deal until 2025
  • Mbappe and Benzema are teammates at France national team

French forward Karim Benzema has ensured he is not angry with his compatriot Kylian Mbappe for rejecting a move to Real Madrid.

Mbappe was expected to leave Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the end of 2021-22 season as his deal expired in the summer. Mbappe’s links with Real Madrid strengthened after Mbappe repeatedly turned down new deals from PSG.

However, the 23-year-old forward eventually opted to sign a new contract with PSG that would keep him in Paris until 2025, leaving some top figures in La Liga furious.

While Real Madrid vice-captain Benzema admitted he would have liked Mbappe to join him at Santiago Bernabeu, there were no ill feelings

"It was a long year for him, he had to decide. It's his choice, I wish him the best although, as I said before, I would have liked him to play at Real Madrid. I prefer not to talk. I'm not angry, I can just tell you that I'm focused on the Champions League final [against Liverpool on Saturday] which is more important than listening to anything else. Now is not the time to talk about these little things," Benzema was quoted by Goal, as saying in a recent interview.

Real Madrid and Liverpool share 19 Champions League titles between them (Real – 13, Liverpool – 6) and are now set to lock horns in the final in Paris on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Mbappe has not ruled out a move to Real later in his career.

"You never know what can happen in the future. I give up to think about the future, I only think about the present and the present is I signed a new contract for three years more at Paris St-Germain," Mbappe told BBC Sport.

Kylian Mbappe denied he would interfere in team matters after deciding to stay at Paris Saint-Germain and snubbing a move to Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe denied he would interfere in team matters after deciding to stay at Paris Saint-Germain and snubbing a move to Real Madrid AFP / FRANCK FIFE

With 39 goals in 46 competitive games, the France national finished the 2021-22 season as PSG’s leading goal scorer. He played a key role in PSG winning the Ligue 1 title as he netted 28 goals and provided 19 assists in 35 league games.

Mbappe, who first joined PSG in 2017, has completed five seasons with the Parc des Princes side. Overall, the young forward has scored 171 goals and 87 assists in 217 appearances for PSG across competitions.

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