Mbappe has been backed by PSG manager to turn tonight’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich on its head. Galtier acknowledged that Neymar’s absence makes his team “more balanced.”
The Ligue 1 team must overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in order to advance to the quarterfinals.
Mbappe was limited to a half-hour substitute appearance in last month’s loss in Paris due to a hamstring injury, but has since scored five goals in three League starts.
We must play more football in the second leg than we did in the first. We have a game plan and Kylian,” added Galtier. “He provides us more room to maneuver behind the pack. We must also recover the ball much more quickly.”
Mbappe has emphasized this week that his future is not contingent on tonight’s result, with PSG still seeking a first Champions League title after losing the 2020 final to Bayern Munich.
“Had I tied my future to winning the Champions League, without disrespecting the club, I would have left a long time ago,” stated the 24-year-old. “I do not believe this match will have any significance. I am present and delighted to be here. I am solely concerned with the success of PSG.”
Neymar has been declared out for the remainder of the season after sustaining ligament damage in his ankle during last month’s thrilling 4-3 victory against Lille.
Clearly, that is a loss, said Galtier. “Is the team more symmetrical? Yes. Is it better this way? I will say that having him improves our chances of scoring goals.”
3 reasons to help PSG turn the situation around at Bayern
Kylian Mbappe’s desire to smash the record is only one reason why Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) can beat Bayern Munich on March 8 in the second leg of the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
PSG led Bayern 1-0 following the first leg at the Parc des Princes, with Kingsley Coman, a graduate of the Paris academy, scoring the lone goal in a match in which Mbappe scored off the bench. Two goals were ruled invalid due to offside.
Jurgen Klinsmann, the Korean national team’s new head coach, confirmed that he will lead the team to the Asian Cup title.
Mbappe struggled with a hamstring ailment prior to the first leg, but he has now fully recovered and declared himself fit to play before the second leg. The French superstar is one of five reasons why PSG can return to prominence.
Mbappe has become PSG’s all-time leading scorer.
Mbappe is without a doubt comparable to the next player who can win the Ballon d’Or after Lionel Messi: Cristiano Ronaldo. After winning the FIFA World Cup as a teenager with France, he is currently PSG’s all-time leading scorer at the age of 24.
Mbappe scored 201 goals to surpass Edinson Cavani as Paris defeated FC Nantes 4-2 over the weekend. Mbappe would have achieved the mark sooner if two goals scored against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League had been allowed to stand.
Bayern did not have a comparable response for Mbappe after he replaced Carlos Soler with less than thirty minutes remaining at the Parc des Princes. After being useless in the first leg, the owner of the Munich stadium will not have a solution to shut Mbappe down for 90 minutes on March 8.
Last month, Neymar hurt his ankle during PSG’s 4-3 victory over OOSC, but his absence may have worked in PSG’s benefit, as the team appears more balanced without him.
From the moment Neymar completed the MNM striker trio (Messi, Neymar, Mbappe), PSG demonstrated their ability to defend well with seven defenders. Without Neymar, the number drops to eight, which is significant in a sport with 11 players on the field.
Mbappe and Messi have combined to score 7 goals and offer 3 assists in the 2.5 matches since Neymar’s injury. This combo is quickly becoming the most feared in all of football, and Bayern will not be happy to see them on the pitch.