Mbappé on Al-Khelaifi: 'Of course I'd shake his hand'

Kylian Mbappé returns to the French national team after missing two previous call-ups. The Real Madrid forward, who was absent from Les Bleus during the October and November international breaks, has rejoined the squad and gave an extensive interview to Le Parisien, discussing current issues related to the French team, criticism at Real Madrid, and his recent past.

The former Paris Saint-Germain player, who is currently involved in a dispute with the club over allegedly unpaid bonuses, holds no grudges against PSG's Qatari president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi. 'Of course I'd shake his hand,' the Bondy-born star assured, at least publicly.

'I played for PSG for seven years and experienced fantastic moments. I'm not the kind of person who only focuses on the negative. I appreciate what people give me in life, both professionally and personally,' he added diplomatically, recalling his time in the French capital. 'It's in the hands of the lawyers. I believe it will be resolved soon, so it's not something that worries me,' he clarified regarding the financial claims against the club.

'Last year everyone assumed there would be a PSG-Real Madrid final, and in the end, we didn't reach it. Right now, I'm only thinking about Arsenal, our quarter-final opponents, and my team, Real Madrid. We're competing in all competitions and can achieve something significant in this final part of the season. We must focus on ourselves and the matches ahead,' Mbappé stated cautiously about a potential Champions League clash against his former club, despite the excitement following victories over strong opponents like Manchester City and Atlético Madrid.

The Real Madrid number 9 acknowledges the high expectations at his new club and accepts criticism after some uncertain moments during his initial months at Chamartín. 'It's not the first time I've experienced such a situation. The difference now is my status, the expectations, and the repercussions. I've had other difficult moments, but they attracted less attention because my status was different. Yes, I understand it. I keep saying that what's changed is everything around me, the way people look at me, rather than myself,' the Frenchman reflected on his new reality as a Madrid player.