Dortmund v Monaco an ´extreme´ experience – Mbappe

Monaco star Kylian Mbappe described playing in an emotionally charged Champions League quarter-final first leg with Borussia Dortmund as an “extreme” moment in his young career.

Mbappe scored twice as Monaco beat Dortmund 3-2 but the game was played against the backdrop of the fixture being postponed due to an attack on the Bundesliga team’s bus which left their defender Marc Bartra in hospital.

Both before and after the game, Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel expressed anger at being forced to play less than 24 hours after the attack, while an emotional Nuri Sahin said that he had been totally unable to focus on football.

Mbappe described how the incident had panicked Monaco’s players as they awaited news from Signal Iduna Park.

“We have suffered all through what has happened,” Mbappe told L’Equipe. “We heard there was an explosion, then more news. We worried, we feared the worst. 

“I tried to call Ousmane [Dembele]; he explained the situation to me. I told him I was with him and his team, that we were all together. 

“I do not wish to live through that with anyone again. The players were touched by what happened, very touched. 

“We are all with Bartra. We know that it is difficult for him, as for all the players of Dortmund. 

“It is destabilising but we are professionals, we must get accustomed to everything, even in the most extreme conditions. Today was extreme, and we tried to get to the level of a quarter-final of Champions League.”

Coming back into Leonardo Jardim’s XI after spending two games kicking his heels on the bench, Mbappe was delighted to make the most of the opportunity.

2 – Kylian Mbappé is the youngest player to score two goals in a Champions League knockout game (18 years, 113 days). Brilliant.

— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) April 12, 2017

“I wanted to make a big game, knowing that I had been ‘left on the sidelines’ in the last two games,” he added. 

“The coach told me that it was part of the rotation, I accepted it. I wanted to show that I can bring something to the team, and I think I showed it. 

“We are very happy because we made a big impact. I’ve always been like that. I try to just be myself. I see that it bears fruit, so I try to continue, while working hard.”