French national team captain Kylian Mbappé has formally withdrawn his complaint of moral harassment against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, just days before a highly anticipated reunion in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup. The update was confirmed to AFP on Monday by his lawyer, Pierre-Olivier Sur, following a report by L’Équipe.

“As Real Madrid prepares to face PSG on Wednesday in the Club World Cup semi-final in the United States, we are withdrawing our civil action,” Sur stated.

Mbappé had originally filed a complaint on May 16, accusing PSG of “moral harassment” and “attempted extortion of signature” related to the club’s use of “lofting”—a controversial practice in football where players are excluded from first-team activities as a form of pressure. In this case, Mbappé was placed in the “loft” during the summer of 2023 after refusing to sign a contract extension.

Following the complaint, the Paris public prosecutor’s office opened a judicial investigation on June 24. Two investigating judges were assigned to the case. While the formal investigation remains open, the player’s decision to withdraw may prompt a reassessment by the judicial authorities.

The legal dispute between Mbappé and PSG extends beyond the criminal complaint. The 26-year-old forward, who left PSG on a free transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, is also demanding €55 million in unpaid wages and bonuses. According to sources close to the player, no agreement was in place with the club regarding those payments. PSG has dismissed the claim as a “fantastic story.”

In April, Mbappé obtained a precautionary court order to freeze the €55 million in PSG’s accounts.

However, that decision was overturned on May 26. Despite this, a source close to the matter says the funds remain seized pending an appeal hearing, for which a date has not yet been set.

Mbappé, who is expected to feature for Real Madrid against his former club on Wednesday, spent seven years at PSG, where he became their all-time top scorer before his contentious departure.

The semi-final match in New Jersey will mark the first time he faces PSG since leaving, adding further intrigue to an already dramatic storyline.

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Fluminense are relishing their role as the Club World Cup’s underdogs ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final against Chelsea, with manager Renato Gaucho embracing an “us against the world” mentality that has carried the Brazilian side to an improbable run.

The Rio de Janeiro club arrived in the United States given just a 0.05% chance of winning the title by Opta’s supercomputer and were initially tipped to exit in the group stage.

FIFA Club World Cup – Fluminense Training – Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison, New Jersey, U.S. – July 7, 2025 Fluminense’s Thiago Silva and coach Renato Gaucho during training REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Instead, they defied predictions by finishing second in Group F, holding Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns to draws and beating Ulsan Hyundai to advance.

The charismatic, 62-year-old Renato has transformed the club from relegation battlers to giant-killers in three months, helping them to knock out Champions League runners-up Inter Milan in the last 16 and Al-Hilal in the quarter-finals with his trademark extravagant guidance from the touchline.

“When I say we’re the ugly duckling, with all due respect to all the other clubs, I’m talking about our financial situation,” Renato said. “Fluminense is only 10% of the financial size of these big clubs. So these big clubs have all the resources to sign the best players.”

Despite the financial disparity, Renato believes his side’s attitude and concentration have been the key factors in their remarkable journey.

“What got Fluminense to the semi-finals was exactly the attitude my team had on the pitch, their concentration, their focus and the hard work of the whole team,” he said.

The Brazilian showman is plotting carefully for Chelsea, describing the clash at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as “a game of chess” that will be decided by tactical discipline.

“It will be a game of patience. We will be careful,” Renato said. “Of course, possession will be very important, especially at 3pm, which is the kickoff time. The heat is unbearable! If you have to keep running after your opponent, if you don’t have possession, you wear yourself out.

“We have the utmost respect for Chelsea but it’s a game of chess. You can be sure that it will be a tight game, at least in my opinion, with few opportunities. And whoever takes advantage of all the data will certainly be the winner.”

Renato said Fluminense would look to neutralise Chelsea’s key players while trying to keep the ball and play their own game as they continue their fairy-tale run.

Reuters

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Kylian Mbappé is set to face his former club, Paris Saint-Germain for the first time since his controversial departure, as Real Madrid prepare for a high-stakes Club World Cup semi-final clash on July 9 in New Jersey.

The blockbuster encounter pits Mbappé against the club where he became a legend—scoring 256 goals in 308 appearances over seven seasons—before leaving on a free transfer to fulfil a childhood dream of playing for Real Madrid.

While Mbappé’s on-field legacy at PSG is undeniable, his exit in 2024 was marred by tension. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was reportedly furious that the French superstar allowed his contract to expire, denying the club a transfer fee. The fallout has since escalated into a legal dispute, with Mbappé claiming he is owed €55 million in unpaid wages and bonuses.

Only last month, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed an investigation into allegations of “moral harassment” after Mbappé accused PSG of ostracising him during the summer of 2023. He was excluded from the club’s pre-season tour and trained separately after refusing to sign a contract extension. However, he later dropped the complaint, according to one of his lawyers.

Despite the off-field drama, the 26-year-old France captain has thrived in his debut season at Madrid, scoring 43 goals in 56 matches across all competitions. His performances have been central to Xabi Alonso’s bright start as Real Madrid manager.

Mbappé’s Club World Cup campaign, however, got off to a slow start. A stomach bug kept him out of the group stage, during which young forward Gonzalo García stepped up impressively with four goals in five matches, including the opener in a 3-2 quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund.

But Mbappé announced his arrival in style, coming off the bench in that match to score a stunning overhead kick that proved to be the winner in stoppage time.

“He is still not at 100 percent, but he is getting better every day,” Alonso said after the match. “Now he has three days to keep progressing before the semi-final.”

The semi-final also marks a tactical test for Alonso, who has shown flexibility by switching between back-four and three-man defence systems throughout the tournament. His next move could hinge on PSG’s strengths—particularly as the French champions arrive in top form.

PSG, under Luis Enrique, are brimming with confidence after a dominant 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final and a gritty 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup quarter-finals, despite finishing that match with nine men following red cards to Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez.

For Enrique, the semi-final carries personal significance. The former Spanish international spent five years as a Real Madrid player in the 1990s before joining rivals Barcelona. Yet, he remained focused on the task at hand: “It doesn’t matter who we play in the semi-finals. What matters is that we’re here and determined to reach the final.”

For Mbappé, the stage is set for a dramatic showdown against his former club—his first time facing PSG since his days as a teenage sensation at AS Monaco in 2017. All eyes will be on MetLife Stadium as one of football’s biggest storylines unfolds.

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