Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe suffered an ankle injury in the first half of their 1-0 French Cup final win against Saint-Etienne on Friday, as football returned in the country after a four-month hiatus due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The 21-year-old World Cup-winner was injured by a rash and dangerous tackle from Saint-Etienne captain Loic Perrin in the 26th minute, with his right ankle turning as he fell. Perrin was sent off after a video review and Mbappe limped down the tunnel to the dressing room.
Scans are set for Friday night, according to ESPN sources, with the club fearing that Mbappe may have sustained ligament damage from the Perrin takedown and could miss the rest of the season.
Mbappe, who was left writhing in pain on the field after the tackle, is a key player in PSG’s hunt for four titles this season.
“It went crack,” Mbappe was heard telling France president Emmanuel Macron of his injury during the trophy ceremony. Macron then asked whether anything was broken and Mbappe said: “No, I don’t think so.”
The France international returned to the sidelines during the second half on crutches with a brace around his right ankle and was able to celebrate with teammates after the Cup victory.
The Ligue 1 champions face Olympique Lyonnais, a match that PSG suspect Mbappe will miss, in the League Cup final on July 31,and have a Champions League quarterfinal against Atalanta coming up next month.
