There were only four Paris Saint-Germain fans holding up the banner, but its message was clear. The quartet of ultras stood before the industrial brick of the Parc des Princes on Sunday, proudly displaying a piece of fabric with the block text "KM: Vivement LE 30/06." Or, in English, "KM, looking forward to 30/06."
And so has begun another turn in the Kylian Mbappe story, perhaps the sour beginning of what could be a turbulent final chapter, after the Parisian star revealed his intent to leave the club at the end of the season. Mbappe, for his part, has insisted that he will try his utmost to win trophies before his departure, and has always asserted his desire to fight on all fronts as long as he is still clad in the flashy Air Jordan strip of PSG.
That goodwill might not be mutual, though. Since it became clear that Mbappe will not be PSG player next season, his relationships with manager Luis Enrique and sections of the club's fanbase have deteriorated, the early signs of reluctant acceptance steadily fading. Instead, we now have the Parisian poster boy falling out of favour at his hometown club.
And in this messy organisation - one that Mbappe has had de-facto control of for years now - he should know more than anyone that ruthlessness is embedded within the club. He is now, ironically, suffering from the consequences of an environment that he helped cultivate. Luis Enrique, the relentless authoritarian, has every right to phase his soon-to-depart star out of the line-up - and bench him whenever he wants.