The fans are angry, there is said to have been a bang in the dressing room: Paris Saint-Germain is in alarm before the first knockout round first leg of the Champions League on Tuesday against FC Bayern. “It looks like a bad movie,” wrote the French sports daily The Team. The capital city club is experiencing its worst winter since it was taken over by the Qatari investment fund in 2011.
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“If you lose three times in a season, the shareholder starts to get angry, if you lose four, a crisis is brewing, if you lose five, the coach is threatened.” The Team. The 1: 3 on Saturday at AS Monaco was already the fourth defeat in a competitive game in this young year. Coach Christophe Galtier admitted that he was worried – but above all in view of the upcoming duel with Bayern in the Prinzenpark and the tense personnel situation at PSG. The hopes of the French champion now rest primarily on world champion Lionel Messi.
The 35-year-old Argentinian was injured in the cup-out on Wednesday in Marseille and missed the principality. Messi should be back for the final training session on Monday. Marco Verratti is probably available again against Munich. Regarding Kylian Mbappé, who is scheduled to be out for three weeks after a muscle injury at the beginning of the month, Galtier reiterated that he doesn’t think the former French world champion will be fit: “We’re taking zero, zero risk with Kylian.”
From the superstar trio in the Paris attack against Monaco, only Neymar remained, who, according to French media reports, is said to have bickered with teammates on the pitch, but also in the cabin with PSG advisor Luís Campos. Captain Marquinhos is said to have sided with fellow Brazilian Neymar. “Where is the crisis leading to?” asked 20 Minutes.
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The only PSG goal in Monaco was scored by 16-year-old midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery (39th minute). In the Ligue 1 table, Paris are still five points ahead of Olympique Marseille and seven ahead of Monaco. “I understand the anger of the fans,” said Galtier. “Stay strong and united,” Mbappé posted on Instagram.
