The attacker entertained the slim hope of a reversal on the return and a qualification in the quarter-finals.

"The last 25 minutes give hope to win at Bayern (March 8, editor's note)", launched Christophe Galtier after the defeat conceded against the Bavarians at the Parc des Princes (1-0) in the round of 16 first leg.

An optimism widely shared by the world champion striker (2018): "We only lost 1-0, there are no more away goal (rules), if we play our attacking football and if we put them in difficulty and score once, it's a tie, then we have to play with what we have in our pants to go and win the qualification there."

Recovered earlier than expected from a tear in the left thigh and author of an entry full of energy, the Bondynois is therefore the ray of sunshine to which the PSG clings, in the midst of a sporting crisis since the resumption of competitions after the World Cup- 2022.

"Kylian in the last quarter of an hour was extraordinary," said Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.

Kylian Mbappé believes he scored against Bayern Munich on Tuesday February 14 in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League in Paris.

The goal will then be canceled after the intervention of the VAR.

© Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP

Beyond the game, the importance of Mbappé can be read in the statistics.

Without Mbappé, PSG have already lost to Marseille (2-1) in the Coupe de France, then to Monaco (3-1) in Ligue 1 before giving in again to Bayern.

Three defeats in a row, it had not happened to the club since the dawn of the QSI era (Qatar sports investments) at the end of 2011, against Nancy, Marseille and Salzburg.

Three losses in a row

The club had also lost three times over two seasons, between the C1 2020 final, already against Bayern (1-0) on a goal from Parisian "Titi" Kingsley Coman, and a missed L1 recovery with defeats against Lens and Marseilles.

But at the time, the team had the Covid excuse to make.

This time, PSG is well and truly under water and the team will have to regain its flamboyant game from the start of the season to believe in a jump in Germany in three weeks.

Fortunately for his supporters, with Mbappé, they see a completely different team.

"Any team is better when it has all its players, it's simple, it's not just Paris Saint-Germain," admitted the main interested party.

"Bayern or other teams, if you take important players away from them, they are worse off, that's football."

Mbappé still assures that the locker room "is not at all downcast".

"The score is not favorable, it's an observation, but the observation is also that we still have every chance of qualifying. If we are all together we will be able to do something good", said he added.

Paris SG players face their supporters after the 1-0 defeat in Paris on Tuesday February 14 against Bayern Munich.

From left to right Warren Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Danilo Pereira and Sergio Ramos © FRANCK FIFE / AFP

"Not used to being dominated"

Above all, it will be necessary to do better than in recent times, where the collective spring seems broken, even when Mbappé is on the ground, as during the defeats in Lens (3-1) and Rennes (1-0).

Lionel Messi has never withdrawn much, but on Tuesday night he seemed to play while walking, and Neymar, the third member of the 'MNM', still hasn't regained his pre-World Cup sparks.

Before Mbappé entered, PSG completely abandoned the ball to their opponent and showed very little danger.

Mbappé even said he was "a little surprised" by this cautious tactic.

"Paris Saint-Germain is a team that must dominate. Of course, we are not used to being dominated," he noted.

The Italian goalkeeper of Paris SG Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten on a shot by the French striker of Bayern Kingsley Coman, during the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League on Tuesday February 14 at the Parc des Princes (1-0).

© FRANCK FIFE / AFP

PSG therefore relied on their 2018 world champion, to the point of taking a small risk, all the same, by having him play again a week earlier than expected.

"I was not supposed to come back, I tried everything, put everything on my side so as not to have any regrets", says the Parisian star.

"I'm not 100 per cent, but I felt good enough to try to help out the buddies and play a little bit."

He has three L1 matches to ramp up before returning to Munich, including a new classic in Marseille on February 26.

But the French prodigy does not budge: "The favorite, for the second match, is Paris Saint-Germain, always."

© 2023 AFP