Newcastle United’s players have not discussed swapping shirts with superstar Kylian Mbappe during their Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, according to club captain Jamaal Lascelles. The Magpies will get the rare opportunity to get their hands on the Frenchman’s jersey if he plays, but Lascelles claims Eddie Howe’s men are instead focused on claiming their first win in the competition in nearly two decades.
French champions PSG travel to the North East for what promises to be one of the most electric ties of the group stage, with over 52,000 fans set to cheer on Howe’s men. Lionel Messi and Neymar may have departed, but with stars such as Mbappe, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Achraf Hakimi still likely to be on the pitch for PSG, it has been billed as a star-studded night in Newcastle.
As far as the players and Lascelles are concerned, though, there is nothing different to any other game as they prepare for their crucial European tie. Lascelles, speaking ahead of the game to local media, discussed whether he would be willing to swap shirts with Mbappe but underlined the importance of staying focused on a historic night for the club.
“It’s not something we have really spoken about,” the centre-back, speaking to Chronicle Live, said. “We are just focusing on how the manager sets us up as players.
“We are looking to stick to the game plan and win the game. That’s all we care about. We don’t care about names and stuff like that.”
Lascelles was then quizzed on swapping shirts if approached by Mbappe, to which he replied: “If he [Mbappe] asks me? “Yeah, when we get to the tunnel but on the pitch it’s just business. Kylian Mbappe is probably the best player in the world. We just need to be professional and that’s what we are. It’s just about getting the job done.”
The 24-year-old has proved to be one of the most lethal goalscorers after Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent seasons, scoring 220 goals in 267 appearances for PSG since his initial loan turned into a £160million transfer from AS Monaco in 2018. And in the Champions League, the forward has hit 35 goals in just 53 games, making him the danger man for Newcastle to focus their efforts on.
Lascelles, who captained Newcastle to a 2-0 win over Burnley on Saturday, is back in the side after Sven Botman suffered an injury setback. And the 29-year-old admitted that after being left as an unused substitute for the 0-0 draw with AC Milan on matchday one, he cannot wait for his first dose of Champions League action.
“It’s crazy. I know I have been here a long time but I never thought I’d be standing here in the position I am in now and I am so grateful that I am. I am just so thankful,” he added.
“It is something that you really have to relish as an experience. Not many footballers can be in this position, being involved in the Champions League. I am grateful that the manager has got us in this position and that the boys have got us in this position.”
