French Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain did not enjoy their greatest of form when they met German Bundesliga 1’s Bayern Munich in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 three weeks ago, losing out to the German outfit only the second time at its own stadium of Le Parc des Princes. The defeat is not PSG’s only loss in recent times, as one of their best players up front, Brazil’s Neymar will be missing the remainder of the 2022/2023 Season, after he underwent a surgery to repair his right ankle ligaments. His exit from this season’s games meant the French champion will be facing an uphill battle to overturn the aggregate score line, when they head to the Allianz Arena to play the second leg of the last 16 stage.
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18 Goals in 29 Appearances This Season
The 31-year-old had not managed more than 31 games in a single season for Paris Saint-Germain, since the forward left Barcelona to join the 10-time French Ligue 1 champion. Due to limited playing time, the player’s goal scoring record also suffered a huge dip, with each tally of the past three seasons not surpassing the 20-goal mark; Neymar’s early departure from the rest of the season simply meant he will not get to change this narrative again, even though he had scored 18 goals in 29 appearances in all competitions for his club this season.
Can Messi and Mbappé Take Down Bayern without In-Form Neymar?
With Brazil’s joint all-time top scorer now out of the season, Christophe Galtier will be counting on the other two members of his forward trio, 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi and Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé, to deliver a comeback victory against the current leader of the German Bundesliga 1 on Wednesday evening. Since losing Neymar in the LOSC Lille clash, the duo had been able to help PSG to secure back-to-back victories in the league, consolidating their position to capture its 11th French Ligue 1 title.
With a healthy lead gained in the league table, these two star performers will definitely turn their attention to defeat Bayern Munich at its home in the coming UEFA Champions League game, so that they can keep PSG’s hopes of winning its first European Cup at the end of this season alive.
25’—Messi assists Mbappé
29’—Mbappé assists Messi
55’—Messi assists MbappéPSG’s duo are cleaning up at Marseille 🤝 pic.twitter.com/YlFdW6gdpv
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 26, 2023
Messi: “We Are Capable of Turning the Situation Around.”
When asked about chances of overturning the tie to PSG’s favour against Bayern at the latter’s home, Messi acknowledged the challenge ahead but remained optimistic that the team has the capability to overcome the small deficit Bayern accomplished in the first leg. Messi said: “It is important to come into the game this way [after three wins]. Before that, we were not in the best form we’ve been in this season. I think we have important victories to reinforce the team as we go to Munich. It will be a very tight and difficult match, where it is decided by small details. It is also very tough to win in Munich, but I think we are well-prepared. We are capable of turning the situation around. I feel very good.”
La Pulga also added that his teammates and him have only one goal in the second leg, which is to progress into the next round. His statement went “I think the team has changed in the last few matches. We have a different face, a different dynamic. [We have a] great hope to continue our journey in the Champions League. We will do everything we can to try to turn the situation around against Bayern and get through the round, which is everyone’s goal”.
Where to Watch Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League?
The game is set to take place in Allianz Arena, Munich at 8pm GMT, 8th March 2023 (Wednesday). You can catch all the live actions, highlights, news, and many more at AsiaSport.com. Apart from the UEFA Champions League, AsiaSport allows everyone to watch games through our live streams for any league or cup games in the world. Simply register an account for FREE and you will be instantly redirected to enjoy amazing perks the platform is ready to shower you with!
