'If you walk out with Mbappe, don't look at me'

After 20 years, Newcastle United are back in the Champions League, and in their comeback season, they got the ‘Group of Death’, featuring Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and PSG. Ahead of their first home game (after a goalless draw in Milan), all eyes are on the best French player, Kylian Mbappe. After a contract dispute at the start of the season, the PSG striker is back at his best, as he scored eight times in seven appearances in all competitions, including the opening goal in a 2-0 win over Dortmund on matchday one. He is undoubtedly the new hero of the younger generation of fans, and Newcastle’s captain Kieran Trippier is one of them.

Former Atletico Madrid fullback shared an anecdote from his own house ahead of today’s match. His six-year-old son, Jacob, will be one of the mascots at St James’ Park but where he will stay on the pitch will be pivotal for his father.

“I was having a bit of banter with him last night, and he said he wanted to walk out with Mbappe instead of me - I wasn’t really happy with that!. He’s obsessed with him, always watching his clips on YouTube. I said, “If you get to walk out with Mbappe, you don’t look at me in the tunnel!” said Trippier.

The high price of an extended summer vacation

His colleague in defence and the real captain (when he is on the field) Jamal Lascelles is also focused on the best PSG player. He was on the bench last season due to Sven Botman’s form but since the Dutchman is sidelined by injury, he will start today, and due to Mbappe’s form, he already stopped looking at TikTok.

“Have I studied him? I already know how he plays because he has so many clips on TikTok! You see them all the time! Everytime I look. You want to play against him. It is something I dream of. There won’t be sleepless nights. It is just a massive opportunity for us. But I will stay off TikTok for a few days. He is probably the best player in the world. We have to be professional and get the job done” admitted Lascelles.

On the other hand, PSG coach Luis Enrique, whose team is not in a form he would like them to be, admitted the strength of tonight’s opponent.

"They're the team from the fourth pot that nobody wanted. We know they play at a high level. They are almost a complete football team. They play with a high press and any team would fear that. They will be playing in front of their passionate fans which will help them. All teams can go far and there is no reason why Newcastle can't go far. Nobody wanted to play there because of last season. It is a hostile but spectacular place to play. I am envious of my players because they get to play in that atmosphere" said the Spaniard, who played at St. James Park as a player, back in 1997. He scored one of two goals for Barcelona, but Tino Asprilla grabbed a hat-trick for a 3-2 Newcastle win.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 2

Tuesday

Union Berlin - Braga 2-3(2-1)

/Becker 30, 37 - Niakate 41, Bruma 51, Castro 90+3/

Salzburg - Sociedad 0-2 (0-2)

/Oyarzabal 7, Mendez 27/

Copenhagen - Bayern 1-2 (0-0)

/Lerager 55 - Musiala 67, Tel 83/

Man.Utd. - Galatasaray 2-3 (1-1)

/Hojlund 17, 67 - Zaha 23, Akturkoglu 72, Icardi 81/

Lens - Arsenal 2-1 (1-1)

/Thomasson 25, Wahi 69 - Jesus 14/

PSV - Sevilla 2-2 (0-0)

/De Joong (p) 86, Teze 90+5 - Gudelj 68, El-Nesyri 87/

Napoli - Real Madrid 2-3 (1-2)

/Ostigard 19, Zielinski 54(p) - Vinicius 27, Bellingham 34, Meret 78/

Inter - Benfica 1-0 (0-0)

/Thuram 62/

Wednesday

19:45: (1.63) Atl.Madrid (4.00) Feyenoord (6.25)

19:45: (1.90) Antwerp (3.70) Shakhtar (4.40)

22:00: (3.00) Celtic (3.50) Lazio (2.45)

22:00: (2.40) Dortmund (3.50) Milan (3.05)

22:00: (2.50) Newcastle (3.60) PSG (2.90)

22:00: (2.20) Crvena Zvezda (3.50) Young Boys (3.45)

22:00: (5.40) RB Leipzig (4.10) Man.City (1.67)

22:00: (4.20) Porto (3.60) Barcelona (1.95)

***odds are subject to change***