PSG’s Luis Enrique explains decision to hook Randal Kolo Muani at half-time during OGC Nice draw

Randal Kolo Muani (25) has found game time hard to come by at Paris Saint-Germain this season. Whilst he has made nine appearances in all competitions, only two of those have been starts. 

With chances hard to come by, and with the France international seemingly needing to convince Luis Enrique every time he steps on the pitch, Kolo Muani can’t afford too many performances like the one he had against OGC Nice on Sunday night. 

In the 1-1 draw at the Allianz Riviera, Kolo Muani cut a phantom figure, making just 17 touches, losing the ball on eight occasions and making just six of his nine attempted passes. It therefore came as no surprise that he didn’t re-emerge for the second half. 

He was replaced by Lee Kang-in, who had a more impactful appearance. Speaking in a post-match press conference, attended by Get French Football News, Luis Enrique explained, or perhaps didn’t, his decision to replace Kolo Muani. 

“I could have changed five players at half-time. I decided to make just one change and this was the one I made,” said the PSG manager. The fact that the former FC Nantes forward was the only victim of a poor first-half performance against Nice says everything about the position that he currently inherits at the reigning Ligue 1 champions. After his latest failure, how many more chances will Kolo Muani get to impress?

GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from Nice