Down, but not out - depleted Man Utd dream of famous comeback in Paris
PARIS: A depleted Manchester United are hoping to pull off another remarkable Champions League comeback when they face Paris Saint-Germain in their last 16, second leg on Wednesday after a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford last month.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will have taken heart from the way Ajax recovered a 2-1 first-leg deficit to beat the holders Real Madrid 4-1 away on Tuesday and advance to the last eight.
However, that was just the third time in the Champions League era that a team has gone through in the knockout phase after losing the first leg at home, the second time Ajax have done so.
United are three-time European Cup winners, but they have never won any tie in continental competition after losing the first leg at home. And while Real are a shambles just now, PSG appear an ominous prospect, with Kylian Mbappe in rampant form.
The English club had also never lost a home European game by more than one goal, although last month’s loss to PSG remains their only defeat in 16 matches since Solskjaer replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho.
“It’s never mission impossible,” insisted the Norwegian, who was on the bench for the 1999 semi- final, second leg when United fell 2-0 down away to Juventus but came back to win the game 3-2 and go through.
“Of course it is more difficult, but we have to get the first goal and then anything can happen.
“Football is a technical and tactical game but it is also a mental game -- goals always change games, and if we get the first one, we will be believing even more, and they might start doubting themselves.”
Solskjaer has managed to remain optimistic despite being without 10 first-team players due to injury or, in Paul Pogba’s case, suspension. Five academy players have helped make up their squad.
Despite their strong position, PSG could be forgiven for having doubts given the importance of Champions League progress to them and their failure to get to the quarter-finals since 2016.
They fell to Madrid at this hurdle last year, while in 2017 they were humiliated by Barcelona, winning the first leg 4-0 but losing 6-1 in the return, although that was away. - AFP