STATS Perform/dpa
Paris
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe returned to training on Sunday and has a chance of starting Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 first leg at home to Bayern Munich.
Newspaper L’Équipe reported that the 24-year-old France star had returned to the training pitch after a thigh problem. He missed Saturday’s 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat at Monaco.
World champion Lionel Messi also looks to have recovered from an injury suffered in the French Cup exit last Wednesday in Marseille.
PSG coach Christophe Galtier may be cautious though and give Mbappe more time. He said he would take “zero, zero risk” with the attacker.
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann suspects the French champions are playing poker with Mbappé.
“I don’t think he’ll be out,” Nagelsmann said.
Galtier is “really worried” about PSG’s prospects when they face Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday.
With Lionel Messi joining Kylian Mbappe on the sidelines due to injury, PSG slumped to a 3-1 defeat at the latter’s old club Monaco on Saturday.
It marked PSG’s third defeat from their last seven Ligue 1 matches.
Galtier placed Achraf Hakimi and Sergio Ramos on the bench, while he confirmed a virus had struck the camp, with Fabian Ruiz also absent.
Bundesliga champions Bayern, 3-0 winners over Bochum on Saturday, head to the Parc des Princes for the first leg of a Champions League last-16 tie next week, and Galtier is concerned.
“There was a lack of intensity. It is the current state of the team.I can’t hide behind that,” he said in a press conference.
“The state of the team is like this. It is strange but true. It is bizarre to say that as a PSG manager, but it is the current reality.
“I am worried about the match on Tuesday night. If I wasn’t that’d be something serious. We’ll see if some of those that couldn’t start the match will be able to play on Tuesday.
“We have a very weakened team and we’re worried. In this period, you have to stay clear-headed. I understand the fan’s anger. There is anger.”
The anger Galtier referred to was apparent as Presnel Kimpembe pleaded with supporters through a megaphone following the defeat at Monaco.
And any hopes of Mbappe returning in time to face Bayern look slim.
“I don’t think Mbappe will play,” Galtier said. “There are other matches and we’re taking no risk with him.
“We hope he’ll recover well. Hopefully, [Marco] Verratti, Messi and others on the bench can play the match.”
