Kylian Mbappé has delivered a crushing legal blow to Paris Saint-Germain. On Tuesday, a Paris labor tribunal ordered the club to pay the French captain more than 60 million euros. This ruling effectively concludes the high-stakes Mbappé wage dispute.
The judgment addresses outstanding salaries and bonuses owed from the striker’s final months in Paris. Conversely, the court flatly rejected PSG’s aggressive counter-strategy.
PSG’s Multi-Million Euro Gamble Fails
The club had attempted to turn the tables on their former star. Lawyers for the French champions sought 440 million euros in damages. They argued that Mbappé’s departure to Real Madrid on a free transfer caused significant “loss of opportunity.”
However, the tribunal dismissed this claim entirely. The decision validates Mbappé’s position regarding the chaotic end to his tenure in the French capital.
Allegations of Harassment and “Lofting”
Beyond the financials, the case exposed deep fractures in the relationship. Mbappé’s legal team accused the club of “moral harassment.” Central to this claim was the practice of “lofting.”
This term refers to the deliberate isolation of a player from the first team. Clubs often use this tactic to pressure athletes into signing renewals or accepting transfers.
Timeline of a Collapse
The partnership between player and club disintegrated rapidly after a 2022 contract extension. Tensions peaked when the forward notified officials he would not trigger a one-year extension clause.
Consequently, PSG panicked. Having invested 180 million euros to acquire him from Monaco in 2017, the hierarchy was desperate to avoid a free exit. The retaliation was swift during the summer of 2023:
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Tour Ban: Management excluded him from the preseason trip to Japan and South Korea.
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Forced Isolation: He was made to train with fringe squad members.
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Match Exclusion: Coaches left him out of the opening league fixture.
Club Denies Mistreatment
Despite the verdict, PSG maintains they acted correctly. Throughout the Mbappé wage dispute, the organization denied all accusations of harassment.
Defense lawyers pointed to match statistics as proof. They noted that Mbappé featured in over 94% of official matches during the 2023-24 campaign. Furthermore, the club insisted that the head coach made all decisions regarding playing time, independent of administrative pressure.
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