Mbappé Left Out of PSG Squad for Final League Game of the Season

(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappé holds the trophy as he celebrates after victory in the French League Cup final football match between Monaco (ASM) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at The Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux, southwestern France on March 31, 2018. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappé holds the trophy as he celebrates after victory in the French League Cup final football match between Monaco (ASM) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at The Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux, southwestern France on March 31, 2018. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
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Mbappé Left Out of PSG Squad for Final League Game of the Season

(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappé holds the trophy as he celebrates after victory in the French League Cup final football match between Monaco (ASM) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at The Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux, southwestern France on March 31, 2018. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappé holds the trophy as he celebrates after victory in the French League Cup final football match between Monaco (ASM) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at The Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux, southwestern France on March 31, 2018. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Kylian Mbappé has been left out of the squad traveling to Metz on Sunday for the final league game of the season.
PSG has already been crowned champion for a record-extending 12th time.
The star striker, who is leaving PSG after seven seasons at the French league club, has not been included in a group of 20 players selected by coach Luis Enrique, The Associated Press reported.
Asked to comment, PSG did not give a reason to justify Mbappé's absence.
The forward, who is widely expected to join Real Madrid, is not in the list of PSG players who are not available because of an injury.
Mbappé is the club's all-time top goalscorer with 256 goals, including 191 in the league.
He will have a final occasion to play with PSG in the French Cup final on May 25 against Lyon.
Mbappé won six league titles with PSG. He will finish as the league top scorer for the sixth time, and fifth outright after sharing the 2020 award with Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder.
Mbappé confirmed last week he will leave at the end of the season, having already told PSG in February.
Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, Marquinhos, Fabian Ruiz and Gianluigi Donnarumma will also sit out the trip to Metz.



Marquinhos Asks Brazil Fans to Keep the Faith

Brazil's player Marquinhos gestures during a press conference following a training of the Brazil national football team at the Manuel Barradas stadium in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, on November 17, 2024, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier football match against Uruguay. (AFP)
Brazil's player Marquinhos gestures during a press conference following a training of the Brazil national football team at the Manuel Barradas stadium in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, on November 17, 2024, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier football match against Uruguay. (AFP)
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Marquinhos Asks Brazil Fans to Keep the Faith

Brazil's player Marquinhos gestures during a press conference following a training of the Brazil national football team at the Manuel Barradas stadium in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, on November 17, 2024, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier football match against Uruguay. (AFP)
Brazil's player Marquinhos gestures during a press conference following a training of the Brazil national football team at the Manuel Barradas stadium in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, on November 17, 2024, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier football match against Uruguay. (AFP)

Five-times World Cup winners Brazil have struggled to impress in South America's qualifiers for the 2026 tournament but defender Marquinhos had called on fans to stick by the side ahead of Tuesday's home game against Uruguay.

With a run of five wins, four losses and two draws, Brazil are fourth in the standings on 17 points, five behind leaders Argentina, with the top six qualifying automatically for the World Cup in North America. Uruguay are second on 19 points.

Brazil were held 1-1 in Venezuela on Thursday, with Vinicius Jr seeing a late penalty saved, and stand-in skipper Marquinhos said the players still took pride in playing for the shirt even when results did not go their way.

"Even though many things might cause people to lose hope in the national team, we ask that they never lose their passion for it," the 30-year-old told a news conference on Sunday.

Brazil, who were beaten by Uruguay in Montevideo last year, are in a transitional phase under head coach Dorival Junior and it will take some time to iron out the problems, he added.

"We will still make some mistakes because this transition is still very new, with all these changes of players and teams," said Marquinhos, who deputizes for regular captain Danilo.

"But we will make fewer and fewer mistakes and that makes us happy.

"We don't worry too much about the standings as long as we're in a comfortable position. We want to win to move up the table, make the work flow better, and gain confidence."

Brazil go into Tuesday's match without a host of top players with defender Eder Militao and forwards Neymar and Rodrygo among those sidelined due to injury.