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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
Sport
Paul Myers

Champions League: PSG's Mbappé beats the bug to operate on Dortmund

Kylian Mbappé has shaken off a sore throat and will be part of the PSG squad attempting to reach the last eight of the Champions League for the first time since 2016. AFP/File

The 21-year-old was tested for the coronavirus during his two day absence from training with a fever.

The results came back negative for the France international who has scored six goals in his past three games

PSG's Qatari bosses, who have poured the best part of a billion euros into the club over nearly a decade of ownership, will be hopeful of a different kind of positive outcome by the end of the match at the Parc des Princes.

PSG have failed to progress to the last eight since 2016. Back then Laurent Blanc was given his marching orders for failing to take the club into the latter stages of European football's most prestigious club competition.

Failures

His successor, Unai Emery, oversaw a catastrophic loss to Barcelona in the last 16 in 2017 and a sobering defeat at the same stage to Real Madrid in 2018.

After he was dispatched, the sides fielded in 2019 by his replacement Thomas Tuchel fared no better. With confidence high following a 2-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the first leg, an inexperienced United outfit won 3-1 at the Parc des Princes to advance on the away goals rule with the tie level at 3-3.

Dortmund go into the 2020 clash leading 2-1 from the first leg. In Germany, the game was played in front of 66,000 spectators at a packed and frenzied Signal Iduna Park. The home faithful were rewarded with a two goal masterclass from teenage striking sensation Erling Braut Haaland.

His brace eclipsed the goal and supposed cunning of PSG's 222 million euro Brazil international Neymar as well as Mbappé's vaunted brio.

Emptiness

On Wednesday night, the return leg will unravel in an empty stadium after the French government banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people as part of its fight to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 30 people in the country.

PSG's diehard supporters' groups have urged fans to assemble outside the stadium on the western fringes of the French capital to voice their support for a team that will be shorn of its veteran skipper Thiago Silva.

The 35-year-old Brazilian has failed to recover from a thigh strain and he will be absent from a defence also missing Belgium international Thomas Meunier who is suspended along with midfield playmaker Marco Verratti.

Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said after the first leg victory that it would be a disaster if PSG were to fall in the last 16.

On the eve of the clash, Germany's ZDF Sports website was more succint. "Tuchel has to take PSG into the last eight. Otherwise he'll be looking for a new job in the summer."

 

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