PSG boss Pochettino sweating over Mbappe fitness for Man City clash

January 6, 2021 Paris St Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino [REUTERS]

Paris St Germain will make a late decision on whether forward Kylian Mbappe will be available to face Manchester City in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, coach Mauricio Pochettino said on Monday.

Mbappe, PSG's top scorer this season with 25 goals in Ligue 1 and eight in Europe, missed the 2-1 victory over Lens on Saturday due to a calf injury.

Video footage circulating on social media showed Mbappe limping on his arrival in Manchester for Tuesday's match at the Etihad Stadium, but Pochettino will make his final assessment after the first-team training session.

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

Having suffered a 2-1 defeat in Paris last week, PSG know they must score at least twice on Tuesday if they are to stand any chance of heading to their second straight Champions League final.

January 16, 2021 Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe REUTERS

Pochettino said he will not tweak PSG's formation -- with or without Mbappe -- but emphasised the importance of his team converting their counter-attacking opportunities.

"Tomorrow we must be ready to suffer and then be clinical and aggressive when we get chances," the Argentine coach said.

"They have an advantage and we need to take risks, be brave, plan the game knowing City is a team that can manage different ways to play.

"We need to be clever, believe and show our quality on the pitch. It will be a battle but we will be ready."

 

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