Neymar-less PSG will play from the heart to oust Real
Paris Saint Germain is hoping its Parc des Princes crowd will help it overturn a 3-1 deficit in the Champions League last-16 return leg against Real Madrid as it tries to cope without the injured Neymar.
The talismanic Brazilian forward was ruled out of the game on Tuesday after undergoing foot surgery, but PSG coach Unai Emery is confident the home fans will play a key role.
“You play a game with your head and your heart. Tomorrow the heart will be the most important thing,” Emery told a news conference on Monday.
“And we will be playing with 12 players tomorrow because we will have the backing of the crowd.”
PSG has lost its last five return legs in the Champions League, notably going out in the last-16 last season when it slumped to a 6-1 loss at Barcelona after beating the Spanish side 4-0 in Paris.
“Our team, even without Neymar, is able to beat the best Real Madrid team,” said Emery.
“With Neymar, PSG is stronger, but we are still strong without him,” full back Dani Alves said.
“There are two options: either we sit and cry, or we stand on our feet and fight.”
If it is to knock out the defending champions, PSG will need to be more focused than during the first leg, when it conceded two goals in the last 10 minutes.
“In the first leg we played better, had the best opportunities. But this time we need to do that for 90 minutes, not just 80,” Alves said.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, who was born in Marseille, the home of PSG’s bitter rival Olympique de Marseille, is expecting a cold reception.
“Well, we’re in Paris and I’m from Marseille. But the important thing is that we are ready to play a great game of football,” the former France playmaker told a news conference.
Zidane was evasive on the fitness of midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, who suffered recent injuries. AFTER BEATING Paris Saint Germain 3-1 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 first leg, Cristiano Ronaldo (top) and Real Madrid will be looking to put away the French side in tonight’s second leg.
“I consider that everyone can play and I don’t field players who are at 80 percent. But this is not a Champions League final, it’s a last-16 game,” he said. “What is important is that we be ready to play well.”
Klopp rules out 2nd-string Liverpool squad for Porto
Liverpool’s 5-0 win in Porto last month virtually guaranteed it a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals, but manager Juergen Klopp says he will pick a strong team for the return leg on Tuesday night despite a trip to Manchester United looming at the weekend.
“It’s not about rest. Porto has won all its games since we played them,” Klopp said.
“They will strike back, that’s what they want. They are Portuguese and proud and will give a fight. They want to strike back.
“If anybody here thinks they come here and give the game up, leave their star players at home or whatever, they are mistaken. It’s Champions League and the whole world is watching. What do you think?”
“If I would be in the situation, I would want to see a real reaction from my team,” said Klopp.
“Their manager will be very lively and push his team. It’ll be a tough job for us. We will have to play very, very well to win the game.”
Liverpool faces United at Old Trafford in the Premier League four days later in a battle for second behind runaway leader Manchester City.
“I don’t think for a second about resting anybody. I know it’s Manchester United afterwards but we cannot change it,” he added.
Liverpool recorded a convincing 2-0 victory of Newcastle United on Saturday, extending its unbeaten run in the competition to five matches and moving up to second.
“Mentality is always the part of the personality where you can improve most, all of us,” Klopp said.
“You cannot win any race in the world without being aggressive. That’s how it is. So in the situation we are in now, it’s clear we will not win the Premier League but it’s very positive.”
“We respect Porto too much and we respect the competition too much to think about real rotation,” the German said.
“I haven’t made decision so far. We don’t rotate to avoid something, we just use the players who are in the best shape. We won’t rest players but maybe we will make one, two or three changes, but only to win the game.”
Liverpool will be without midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and forward Ben Woodburn although the pair have returned to training after missing the last two Premier League games due to illness.
(Reuters)