Guardiola Drops a Sniper-Level Wink: Mbappé’s Paris Trip Heats Up Real Madrid vs City Showdown

Guardiola’s Light-Hearted Take on Mbappé’s Paris Trip Ahead of a Bernabéu Showdown

Spanish coach Pep Guardiola teased Kylian Mbappé’s Paris journey for treatment as Real Madrid and Manchester City gear up for a marquee Champions League last-16 clash at the Bernabéu.

Madrid had earlier announced that Mbappé would miss the first leg on Wednesday due to a left knee sprain.

Mbappé has not played since the February 21 defeat to Osasuna in La Liga.

He had traveled to Paris recently to seek a second medical opinion about the injury.

Guardiola’s remarks came at a press conference in Madrid, where he joked that Mbappé “wasn’t alone” in Paris, alluding to a companion, the actress Esther Expósito.

Real Madrid confirmed that Mbappé will not be present at the Bernabéu for the first leg, keeping fans waiting for the verdict on the return leg.

After treatment in Paris, Mbappé appeared in training with the team in France, but his participation in the away leg remains subject to the medical staff’s assessment.

Guardiola also noted the broader context of the upcoming match and kept a light touch about the travel routine that sometimes accompanies elite players.

Asked about Mbappé’s Paris trip during the press conference, Guardiola smiled: “As far as I know, he wasn’t there alone.” He added that such situations occur in every club, and he’s not the right person to judge them.

He even teases Mbappé’s companion, Esther Expósito, in a humorous aside that drew laughs from the room.

Mbappé’s condition remains under close medical review as Real Madrid and City prepare for a high-stakes duel with a potential place in the quarterfinals on the line.

And for those who love dramatic narratives: if injuries were a transfer window, Mbappé would be on a long loan to the physio. And Pep’s punchlines? They travel faster than a counterattack—so buckle up.