Mitchel Bakker is quite discreet in the PSG locker room. But it does not lack character for all that. The Dutch defender called him back in the Coupe de France final against AS Saint-Etienne on Friday at the Stade de France (1-0). When Kylian Mbappé was violently tackled by Loïc Perrin, in the first half, the 20-year-old Dutchman was one of the first Parisians to come and defend him. He also grappled with several Stéphanois in the fray. To the point of receiving a yellow card. But at rest, he does not regret his behavior at all. Quite the contrary.
“I may only be 20 years old, but I will never let that happen to a teammate,” the left-back said in an interview with By Telegraaf. It was really an attack on Mbappé. This charge made no sense. I hope he will be in good shape again soon. “Hit in the ankle, the 2018 world champion will have to observe a period of rest” of about three weeks “, according to the club of the capital. His presence against the ‘Atalanta Bergamo in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, on August 12 in Lisbon (exclusively on RMC Sport), is strongly compromised.
“Thiago Silva has constantly encouraged me”
In the meantime, Bakker is enjoying his start to Parisian summer. And this first trophy won on the field. “Against Saint-Etienne, I received a lot of support from our captain Thiago Silva. He was constantly behind me to encourage me”, appreciates the former player of the Ajax Amsterdam reserve, who arrived freely. last year and under contract with Paris until 2024. It remains to be seen whether Thomas Tuchel will renew his confidence in him against OL on Friday in the final of the Coupe de la Ligue (9:10 pm). Still at the Stade de France. With the return to business of Layvin Kurzawa and Juan Bernat, it will undoubtedly be more complicated.