Kylian Mbappe not to blame for Champions League failure at PSG as Marco Verratti opens up on why Lionel Messi, Neymar & Real Madrid star couldn't win European crown together

PSG have become a seriously solid side in the past 12 months. After it seemed like they were finding it difficult to cope with life after Mbappe's departure to Real Madrid, Luis Enrique and his players turned things around splendidly in the second half of the 2024-25 season. Not only did they complete the domestic treble of Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions, but also finally ended their quest for a maiden Champions League title. They achieved the feat in spectacular fashion, handing Inter a 5-0 drubbing in the final of Europe's premier club competition. The collective success enjoyed by PSG translated to individual success for Ousmane Dembele, who lifted the 2025 Ballon d'Or after scoring 33 goals in 49 games across all competitions. 

The PSG project of the present is a far cry from PSG's tendency to assemble a squad filled with superstars. In fact, between 2021 and 2023, the Ligue 1 heavyweights boasted of a frontline consisting of world-beaters in Mbappe, Neymar and Messi. As scary as they looked on paper, teams found it easier to slice through PSG's press and cause their defence plenty of problems. Messi and Neymar left in 2023, while Mbappe left in 2024. 

Ultimately, PSG scrapped their transfer strategy altogether, instead adopting a far more balanced and smarter plan. They gambled on youth as well as their academy, with the squad shimmered with experienced figures in almost every department. 

Speaking in an interview with MARCA, Verratti opened up on his time at Parc des Princes. He was asked why Les Parisiens managed to lift the Champions League trophy immediately after Mbappe's departure. 

"It's unfair to see it that way," began Verratti. "With Kylian, we reached the semi-finals and the final, but we didn't win it. Then there's Real Madrid, who, with fantastic players, won it many times. Anyway, I don't think PSG won it because Kylian left. Mbappe has helped the club grow a lot. The year he left, he scored nearly 50 goals, for example."

When asked why the formidable front three of Mbappe, Neymar, and Messi couldn't help PSG succeed on the continental front, Verratti responded: "That's what makes football beautiful. It's not just about buying players and winning. That PSG team was a serious project, and they helped the club grow. Individually, we had many star players, but we lacked something as a team. And that matters a lot in today's football. In big games, star players can make the difference, but not generally."

Despite a record-breaking debut campaign for Real Madrid, where Mbappe scored 44 goals in 59 games, there was a feeling that the France captain was yet to deliver his devastating best for his dream club. All doubts surrounding Mbappe's status in Madrid have been dismissed with authority. The Madrid No.10 has begun the 2025-26 on fire, scoring 16 goals in 13 games for Los Blancos. He has scored in all but two games this season for both club and country, his goals against Atletico Madrid and Barcelona proving that he is morphing into the man for the big occasions.

Verratti went so far as to claim that Mbappe is the best player in the world right now. "He had to adapt, but he scored a lot of goals and won the Pichichi and the Golden Boot. And this year he's showing he could do even better. There's no one else like him in the world right now," the Italian midfielder said.

Mbappe’s debut season came during one of Real Madrid’s most disappointing campaigns in recent memory. The 15-time Champions League winners failed to secure any major silverware and were comfortably outclassed by sides of comparable quality. 

He has already shared his ambition of "winning everything there is to win" at Real Madrid, and it seems he has taken the responsibility upon himself to guide Los Blancos towards glory. While there's still a long way to go, the start from Mbappe and his team-mates has been near flawless.