UNITED United face PSG for first time in last 16

UNITED’S defence will be tested by one of the most feared strikeforces in Europe after the Reds were drawn against Paris Saint Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Brazilian ace Neymar and French World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe fired PSG to the top of their group as they came through to the knock-out stages as the competition’s leading scorers.

They banged 17 past Liverpool, Napoli and Red Star Belgrade to top the group.

The Reds could have been paired with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund or Porto – but will face the French champions for the first time in a competitive match.

It will see the return of Angel Di Maria to Old Trafford, with the first leg at home on Tuesday, February 12 and the return in Paris on Wednesday, March 6.

PSG coach Thomas Tuchel has confidence in his Ligue 1 leaders, but warned against complacency.

“We have the quality to win at Old Trafford. I’m confident for my team, but it’s a great test, a challenge,” Tuchel said. “The round of 16 is always tough. Manchester United have a lot of experience in this competition, which they’ve won several times.

“I’m neither satisfied nor unsatisfied by the draw.”

Had United won their group, they would have been drawn against Atletico Madrid, Schalke, Ajax, Lyon or Roma and played away from home first.

However, after Jose Mourinho’s men were ejected from the last 16 by group runners-up Sevilla last season, the United boss suggested there was little difference between finishing first or second in the group stage.

“I think that to qualify in this group is a success, never a failure,” Mourinho said after last week’s defeat to Valencia.

“To finish second in this group is always a success and before the game I told the players: ‘If we win tonight and Juventus win, we did our job. If we don’t win and Juventus doesn’t win, we can blame ourselves.’

“I don’t think the draw finishing first or second, apart from a couple of clubs that are clearly much better than the others, I don’t think the draw will be significantly different. I think there are teams that finished second that the ones that finished first are not happy to play against.

“Since the Champions League coefficients and the first of the championship become in pot one, I think the scenario change completely and gives immediately on the last 16 matches combinations that normally would appear for the quarter-final, now these kind of combinations can appear immediately in the last 16. For example, Thomas Tuchel

Neymar Semi-finals 1995 PSG finished top having recovered from losing their first game, 3-2 at Liverpool - indeed, they were third after four games before beating the Reds 2-1 and winning 4-1 at Red Star Belgrade. With Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani, the Ligue 1 leaders have an attack that can trouble any of their Champions League rivals.

PSG scored more goals in the group stage than anyone else - 17. Schalke vs City Atletico Madrid vs Juventus United vs Paris Saint-Germain Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund Lyon vs Barcelona Roma vs Porto Ajax vs Real Madrid Liverpool vs Bayern Munich the Champions League finalists of the last season can meet each other in the next round, as an example.

“So I don’t think the problem is about the draw apart from, I repeat, a couple of teams that are clearly much better than the others.”

Mourinho has a good record against PSG, losing just one of his previous six matches against them, winning two and drawing three.