Dijon (AFP)

Will Neymar be restored for the 8th final first leg of the PSG Champions League? "I cannot say 100% that he will be able to play against Dortmund" on Tuesday, admitted Thomas Tuchel after the victory against Dijon (6-1), clinched Wednesday without his superstar.

The Brazilian N. 10, absent in the last two games of PSG due to a rib injury that occurred ten days ago against Montpellier, was left at rest for the quarter-final of the Coupe de France in Dijon.

Will he be able to play Amiens on Saturday in the league, the last match before Dortmund? "I don't know, we will discuss and decide on Friday, as late as possible. We cannot risk his health," said Tuchel, very cautious with his star "because the risk was too great" to take him to Burgundy "even if it will decrease every day".

Last season, Neymar, transferred to PSG against a record sum of 222 million euros in the summer of 2017, could not play the knockout stages of the Champions League with Paris due to a serious foot injury law.

If executives Thiago Silva and Juan Bernat, absent in recent weeks, have returned to the field in Dijon, what about the upcoming recovery of Marquinhos, hit in the hamstrings since the end of January?

"It's a little different (from Neymar). He could have played 30 minutes today but we preferred to put him in individual training with a lot of intensity. He could start against Amiens," announced the Parisian coach.

Victims "suddenly" without gravity against Lyon (4-2) last Sunday, Presnel Kimpembe and Marco Verratti were also spared the trip to Dijon, like Idrissa Gueye.

"For Presnel, it is more serious than Marco and Gana (Gueye). In theory, it is possible that he will go to Dortmund without having played Amiens," hoped Tuchel.

"We are not going to take risks against Amiens, that is clear. We are going to have a strong team, but if we have little doubts, we are not going to take any," he added.

PSG, which has made the Champions League its supreme goal since its acquisition by the Qatari QSI fund in 2011, remains on three consecutive eliminations at the stage of the 8th finals of C1.

© 2020 AFP