PSG THREATEN TO IMPLODE
Neymar, Mbappe antics a worry as season enters crunch time
WHILE Neymar has been partying with an injured rib, and Kylian Mbappe has been making no attempt to hide his displeasure with his coach, Paris Saint-Germain supporters could be forgiven for having that sinking feeling.
This has been the time of year when the French club’s season has tended to implode in recent years, with three successive eliminations in the first knockout round of the Champions League.
They are currently unbeaten in 20 games in all competitions after Tuesday’s 2-1 success at Nantes, and sit 12 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.
However, everything is gearing up towards their Champions League last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund, with the first leg in Germany on Feb 18.
PSG have not made it beyond the last 16 in four years, with the nature of defeats against Barcelona in 2017 and Manchester United last season helping make them something of a laughing stock around Europe.
Injuries to Neymar at this stage in each of the last two years proved crucial, so fans of a nervous disposition will be hoping the rib injury suffered by the Brazilian against Montpellier last weekend is nothing more than a short-term problem.
The injury did not prevent the world’s most expensive player from staging a lavish party at a Parisian nightclub for his 28th birthday last Sunday, but it did keep him out of the Nantes game.
With the Dortmund first leg coming into view, he could be rested for tomorrow’s visit of Lyon.
“I hope he can play on Sunday (tomorrow),” said coach Thomas Tuchel. “He was in pain at half-time against Montpellier. He is in exceptional form, but we will decide later. He needs to manage the pain.”
Meanwhile, Mbappe seems certain to play, just as he did in midweek despite an angry reaction to being substituted against Montpellier which has brought back the rumours that the 21-year-old — regularly linked with Real Madrid — may not stick around in Paris too much longer.
“He was decisive for us. There was no need for him to show a reaction,” Tuchel said of Mbappe’s midweek performance.