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PSG XI vs Man City: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, Champions League squad and Mbappe injury latest

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Kylian Mbappe is in the Paris Saint-Germain squad that has travelled to England for tonight’s Champions League semi-final second-leg clash against Manchester City.

However, it remains to be seen if the influential French forward will be fit to feature at the Etihad Stadium due to a calf injury that saw him omitted for Saturday’s 2-1 win over Lens in Ligue 1.

Mbappe was forced off late on with a thigh injury after scoring a brace in the 3-1 victory against Metz on April 24 and subsequently endured an uncharacteristically quiet first leg against City at the Parc des Princes, failing to muster a single shot in a European game that he has started for the very first time in his career.

The 22-year-old was largely held in check by another colossal performance from Ruben Dias as City recovered from Marquinhos’ early header to win 2-1 in Paris thanks to a Kevin De Bruyne cross that evaded everyone before drifting beyond Keylor Navas and Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick that went straight through a gap in the PSG wall.

PSG’s chances of overturning such a deficit will be dealt a sizable blow if Mbappe is unable to feature, though he is in the travelling squad confirmed on Monday despite manager Mauricio Pochettino’s concerns.

"We need to assess Kylian, [on Monday] he's going to start individual training session and see if he'll be with the team," Pochettino told reporters. "It's still one day, we didn't decide and we will see tomorrow."

Pochettino went with a front four consisting of Neymar, who played all but the final seconds, Julian Draxler, Mauro Icardi and Pablo Sarabia at the weekend, with Angel Di Maria left as an unused substitute with one eye on Tuesday night.

Di Maria will surely return against City, while the likes of Draxler and Icardi will be competing to join him if Mbappe is confined to the bench.

Navas should continue in goal, while Abdou Diallo playing 90 minutes against Lens suggests that 20-year-old Dutchman Mitchel Bakker will remain at left-back for PSG at the Etihad Stadium.

 

Will Kylian Mbappe be fit to start for PSG against Manchester City?


Will Kylian Mbappe be fit to start for PSG against Manchester City? / Getty Images
Like midfielder Leandro Paredes, Alessandro Florenzi was absent from the squad on Saturday, though both are thought to be fit, with the latter set to return at right-back as the established central defensive partnership of captain Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe remains unchanged.

 

The likes of Danilo Pereira and Ander Herrera will hope to deputise for ex-Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye, who was sent off for a shocking challenge on Ilkay Gundogan in the first leg against City.

However, it could be that Pochettino - knowing that his side needs a dominant attacking display on Tuesday - decides to move the versatile Verratti deeper and slot in someone like Draxler further forward.

PSG predicted XI: Navas, Florenzi, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Bakker, Paredes, Verratti, Draxler, Di Maria, Mbappe, Neymar

PSG travelling squad: Keylor Navas, Sergio Rico, Mathyas Randriamamy, Yanis Saidani, Colin Dagba, Alessandro Florenzi, Mitchel Bakker, Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe, Laywin Kurzawa, Abdou Diallo, Thilo Kehrer, Leandro Paredes, Marco Verratti, Danilo Pereira, Rafinha Alcantara, Ander Herrera, Julian Draxler, Moise Kean, Kylian Mbappe, Mauro Icardi, Pablo Sarabia, Neymar.

Source:-https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/psg-xi-vs-man-city-predicted-lineup-confirmed-team-news-squad-mbappe-injury-latest-uefa-champions-league-today-b932986.html

Steven Madden

Steven Madden

Steven has covered a variety of industries during his media career including car care, pharmaceutical, and retail.