Champions League: against Munich, Paris must be magical
Lionel Messi celebrates a goal with his teammates Kylian Mbappé and Presnel Kimpembe, Sunday February 19, 2023. AP - Christophe Ena
Text by: Farid Achache Follow
4 mins
Paris Saint-Germain, beaten at home 1-0 by Bayern Munich in the round of 16 first leg, will have to pull out all the stops to reach the quarter-finals on Wednesday March 8 in Munich.
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Will Kylian Mbappé reverse the trend in Munich?
Having become the top scorer in the history of PSG last weekend (201 goals), the 2018 world champion carries on his shoulders the hopes of the capital club, which is awaiting a first European title since 2011 and the arrival of Qatar. at his head.
Absence of Neymar
At the Parc des Princes, in the round of 16 first leg, Bayern took the lead (1-0) thanks to former Parisian Kingsley Coman, in a meeting that the Munich residents had largely dominated.
But the convincing entry into the second half of the top scorer of the last World Cup, then back from injury, left Paris the right to dream of a reversal of the situation.
Caillou in the shoes of the Parisians, the absence of Neymar, hit in the ankle, and probably out of business for the rest of the season.
“
The most spectacular player at the moment is very clearly Kylian Mbappé.
His explosiveness combined with the right choices in the penalty area.
It also goes where the attacker should be.
It's not just aesthetics, but it's also very effective.
I like it a lot
, ”said Munich resident Thomas Müller at a press conference.
But the double Champions League winner with Bayern in 2013 and 2020 does not intend to remain just a spectator of wonder at the former Monegasque.
“
The whole world loves to watch him play.
Tomorrow, we are not going to watch him, we are going to hinder him in his work.
If our plan works, it won't take much pleasure
,” warns Thomas Müller.
Bayern were full of confidence by winning on the lawn of Stuttgart last Saturday (2-1), to keep the lead of the Bundesliga.
Bayern's Senegalese striker Sadio Mané (right) in training with his Cameroonian teammate Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
(Drawing).
AFP - CHRISTOF STACHE
Count on the talented Sadio Mané for Bayern
In the Champions League, Bayern have won fifteen of the last 17 home matches, conceding only one draw (1-1 against Villarreal, synonymous with elimination last season in the quarter-finals) and one defeat against... PSG (3-2 in the first leg of the C1 during the 2020/21 season).
On their lawn, the six-time European champions could count on the talented Sadio Mané, who has gradually returned to the field since the end of February, after a fibula injury which had deprived him of the World Cup in Qatar.
African Cup of Nations winner with Senegal, Champions League finalist with Liverpool, African Player of the Year for the second time (after 2019), Ballon d'Or runner-up and a successful acclimatization to Bayern after a transfer in the summer: the year 2022 of Sadio Mané was almost perfect.
Almost only because an injury to the right fibula in early November at the Allianz Arena turned him into a nightmare, forced to go on the operating table, and forced to give up, with a heavy heart, at the World Cup, where he could play spoilsport with the Teranga Lions.
On February 26, 110 days later (the longest period of absence of his career), the flagship Bavarian rookie of the summer of 2022 returned to the lawn of the Allianz Arena.
Before the reception of PSG, Sadio Mané has an hour of play in the legs in two appearances against Union Berlin and Stuttgart.
“
Sadio is physically at 100% of his means
”, explained the Bavarian coach Nagelsmann after the narrow success in Stuttgart.
"
If Sadio does not play from the start, he can also be decisive coming from the bench
," he added on Tuesday at a press conference.
“
The first leg against PSG came too early, but the second leg has always been in the back of my mind
,” Sadio Mané slipped to
Sport Bild.
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