Kylian Mbappe suffers horrific injury as PSG claims French Cup in front of limited crowd

On Friday, Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe is said to have suffered a "serious" right ankle sprain during his club's victory against Saint-Etienne in the French Cup final.

Saint-Etienne was forced to play with only 10 men after Loic Perrin was sent of in the first half due to the foul on Mbappe. Despite the red card on their opponents, PSG was also dealt with a major blow after Mbappe was forced to leave the field in tears. The 21-year-old was seen back on the bench in crutches.

There was a brief commotion on the pitch following the foul on Mbappe, as tempers flared on both sides. In the end, the red card was given but Mbappe could no longer continue either. Brazilian star Neymar Jr. had already scored for PSG early in the 14th minute, and it would prove enough for them to secure the victory and the title.

According to a statement by the club, Mbappe's injury will be reevaluated after 72 hours. The setback comes at an inopportune time, now that PSG has finally returned to competitive football. It may be remembered that the French Ligue 1 called an early end to their season amid the chaos caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. While the rest of Europe's major leagues returned last month to play the remaining games in their respective domestic leagues, Ligue 1 already handed PSG the title back in April.

Friday's match is the first professional competitive match in France since the lockdown. Interestingly, while the rest of Europe is playing games behind closed doors, a limited number of spectators was allowed inside the Stade de France last night.

Less than 5,000 spectators were allowed to witness the match, in a venue that could otherwise hold 80,000 people. Social distancing was strictly implemented, and it remains to be seen if the strategy will be followed by other competitions.

After securing both Ligue 1 and the French Cup, PSG will have their sights set on the League Cup and the UEFA Champions League. Mbappe's injury will certainly be a cause for concern as the team prepares to fully return to the crucial stages of both competitions.