Champions League: a feverish Paris Saint-Germain against Bayern Munich
PSG players, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, after a goal against Maccabi Haifa, September 14, 2022. PSG wins with 3 goals against 1. AP - Ariel Schalit
Text by: Farid Achache Follow
3 mins
Shortly before facing Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes for the round of 16 first leg on February 14, Paris Saint-Germain is in a negative spiral, and its coach Christophe Galtier is under pressure.
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Despite winning the first leg (1-0) and Kylian Mbappé's opener in the return, Paris-Saint-Germain were eliminated by Real Madrid (3-1) in the round of 16 the previous season. .
The Parisians had been knocked down by three goals from Karim Benzema.
A new disappointment for the Parisian club which is chasing its first Champions League since the arrival of Qatar in the capital and the purchase of a succession of stars.
Four defeats conceded in barely a month
On the eve of receiving
Bayern Munich
for the eighth leg, the Parisians are not in ideal confidence.
Saturday February 11, PSG took a slap in the face of Monaco in Ligue 1 with a fairly severe defeat (3-1).
It was the fourth conceded in barely a month and a half for the club of the capital, all competitions combined, with in particular the elimination by Marseille in the Coupe de France (1-2).
Paris is therefore once again sinking into doubts and gloom.
"
If I weren't worried, it would be serious
," coach Christophe Galtier made no secret of the Champions League.
“
We obviously have to talk less and work a lot to get a great match against Bayern
”.
The state of grace is visibly over for Galtier.
Arriving in the summer of 2022, the former Lille technician was supposed to embody a change in method, where his predecessors had failed.
The inability to beat Benfica Lisbon in the group stage had served as a warning for him and PSG with a second place at stake.
Galtier in danger, Mbappé in hope
Despite the ambient slump, PSG has a glimmer of hope with the essential Kylian Mbappé, injured on February 1 and initially announced unavailable for three weeks, who trained with the group on Sunday February 12, according to several media .
He was also in training on Monday and was announced in the group at the start of the afternoon.
Will he be Galtier's savior against the Bavarians?
Moreover, Messi and Verratti are expected to return to their places against Bayern.
Because Neymar was transparent throughout the match against Monaco, when he was supposed to be the leader of PSG without Mbappé, Messi or Verratti.
On Sunday February 12, around 200 to 300 Parisian supporters gathered peacefully in front of the Camp des Loges, PSG's training center, to express their dissatisfaction.
The meeting against Bayern in the round of 16 will therefore be crucial for PSG and undoubtedly the future of Galtier.
After having abandoned the three-man defense which had proven itself at the start of the season, the Parisian coach intends to rely on it against the Germans, even if the experience was not very conclusive against Monaco.
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