France:Mbappe celebrates new deal with a hat-trick in PSG’s 5-0 demolition of Metz
Kylian Mbappe celebrates his goal against Metz
After plenty of off-field uncertainty in recent weeks, Mbappe capped off an evening of celebration in style with a hat-trick in a 5-0 win against Metz. Neymar and Angel Di Maria were also on target, with the latter marking his final appearance in style after seven years in the French capital. The win left PSG 15 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
Kylian Mbappe celebrated his new Paris Saint-Germain contract with a hat-trick, as they thumped Metz 5-0 at the Parc des Princes.
The new contract was greeted with a wrath of fury from Spain, to such an extent that La Liga felt compelled to issue a statement which displayed their disgust at the financial ramifications behind the deal.
It could also end up being Mauricio Pochettino’s final match in charge with rumours of his impending sacking in an otherwise underwhelming season for France’s top club.
Despite all of the off-field distractions, what cannot be disputed is Mbappe’s undoubted talent. His treble alongside a goal each for Neymar and Angel Di Maria capped off a night of celebration in the French capital.
There was already a partisan atmosphere inside the Parc des Princes with news of Mbappe’s new three-year deal officially confirmed on the pitch prior to the game, and the 23-year-old produced a performance that lived up to the occasion.
He broke the deadlock in the 25th minute after latching onto Di Maria’s pass and going past keeper Marc-Aurele Caillard to put the ball into an empty net.
That lead was doubled three minutes later when Lionel Messi played Mbappe through on goal, and he showed brilliant composure to fire in his second of the night past Caillard.
Neymar piled on further misery to a Metz side heading for Ligue 2 football next season, as the Brazilian tapped the ball home from inside the six-yard box to put PSG 3-0 up at the break.
Mbappe completed his hat-trick five minutes after the re-start with another deadly finish to rub further salt into the wounds of Frederic Antonetti’s side.
It went from bad to worse for Les Grenats when Boubacar Traoré was shown a second yellow card with Mauricio Pochettino’s men smelling blood.
Mbappe and Messi both hit the woodwork before Di Maria marked his final appearance in a Les Parisiens’ shirt with a tap-in with 67 minutes played.
The Argentine was given a guard of honour by his team-mates to mark the end of a glittering and trophy-laden seven-year spell in Paris.
It is a result which means PSG have finished 15 points clear of second-place Marseille at the top of Ligue 1, while 19th-placed Metz exited the top flight with a whimper.
