Daniel Riolo slams PSG for using bots to criticise own players, says Kylian Mbappe must be feeling 'disgusted' at club

French journalist Daniel Riolo has lambasted Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for using bots to tarnish their own players, including superstar Kylian Mbappe.

French media outlet Mediapart recently claimed that PSG had hired an outside agency to whitewash the club president’s name and discredit journalists and footballers using bots (via AS). Mbappe, who has reportedly expressed his desire to leave the club in January, has also been targeted by the entity.

🚨💣 Mbappé can legally TERMINATE his PSG contract due to the bots case, as it would be a violation of labour laws, making way for him to join any club he wants as a free agent, according to sports lawyer Tatiana Vassine on @RMCsport #rmalive

The Parisians have vehemently denied the allegations (via Daily Star), but journalist Riolo is adamant that such a cell exists at the club. On RMC Sport, he expressed his disgust at the club’s methods, claiming that they were sinking lower with every passing day. Riolo said:

“There it is the use of social networks for purposes … we should know if it is legal or not legal. In any case, I think it's on the border of disgusting in my opinion, really. Coming back to Paris Saint-Germain , this clearly raises the question of competence and what does this management who has been at the club for more than ten years now do.

Riolo continued:

"Instead of dealing with what the team should do on the ground, how to recruit, how to build a team, it's a new business every day. It is an increasingly negative image every day."

He added:

“By dint of wanting to control their image, by dint of wanting to control everything and wanting to develop a kind of global marketing and communication strategy, one has the impression that every week they dig a hole in which they sink . Today the club is going to tear itself apart over who was at the head of this cell."

Riolo continued:

"We are going to put everything on the back of Jean-Martial Ribes, director of communications who left the club. The club will obviously accuse him. He will probably defend himself by saying that he was covered, necessarily, by his management. Frankly, it sucks the nausea. This file nausea on what has become of this club. Really."

Riolo also said that Mbappe is right to feel disgusted, adding that he would be right to want to leave PSG. He added:

“At least Kylian Mbappe discovering the revelations of Mediapart, already that he was not well; he must be disgusted. Of course he will want to leave even more. It's absolutely terrible, really terrible. And of course everyone uses the conditional, but today there are too many elements that indicate that it is true. Sure. First because people talk, and as everyone is trying to save their skin at PSG, everyone blames everyone else. And when everyone blames everyone, that means it's true.”

Mbappe has 12 goals in 13 games across competitions but is yet to register an assist.

Real Madrid have no plans to sign PSG's Kylian Mbappe

Multiple sources (via ESPN) have claimed that Mbappe is determined to leave PSG in January and possibly join Real Madrid.

However, according to Josep Pedrerol (via El Chiringuito TV), the Spanish giants have no plans to sign him even if he becomes available.

#Mbappe 2017 “Real Madrid is my dream club”

Mbappe 2021 “My time in Paris is over, I want to go to #RealMadrid”

Mbappe May 2022: 3-year contract renewal

Mbappe October 2022: request a move as he is not happy at #PSG

How can you trust a guy like @KMbappe https://t.co/PoqN3RLfek

Mbappe was close to signing for Real Madrid at the end of last season but ended up signing an extension with PSG in May. His three-year contract with the Parisians ends in June 2025.