Paris v Manchester United preview: all you need to know
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Article summary
Paris Saint-Germain defend a 2-0 lead at home to a Manchester United team without a number of key players.
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Article body
- FOLLOW LIVE BUILD-UP FROM PARIS
- Paris hold 2-0 advantage after first leg
- United winless in last four away games at this stage
- French side have scored in last 23 #UCL matches
- Pogba suspended for injury-hit United
Reporter's view (Chris Burke, UEFA.com): This time, surely. Paris have failed to reach the quarter-finals since 2016 and remain haunted by Barcelona's stunning 'remontada' win two years ago – but they look a very different prospect now. Thomas Tuchel has introduced guile and tactical nuance this term, and the French side oozed maturity in their Old Trafford triumph. With Kylian Mbappé in superb form, Paris will be confident of completing the job against a United team missing several key players.
Possible line-ups
Paris: Buffon; Kehrer, Thiago Silva, Kimpembe, Bernat; Verratti, Marquinhos; Dani Alves, Draxler, Di María; Mbappé
Out: Neymar (foot, ankle), Nsoki (groin)
Doubtful: Cavani (hip)
Misses next game if booked: Bernat, Draxler, Kehrer, Neymar, Verratti
Man. United: De Gea; Young, Lindelöf, Smalling, Shaw; Fred, McTominay, Pereira, Dalot; Lukaku, Rashford
Out: Herrera (hamstring), Jones (illness), Lingard (hamstring), Martial (groin), Mata (hamstring), Matić (muscle), Pogba (suspended), Sánchez (knee), Valencia (calf)
Misses next game if booked: Herrera, Matić, Valencia, Young
Key battle
Mbappé v Lindelöf: Mbappé scored Paris's crucial second at Old Trafford and has been in fine fettle of late, that goal prompting a run of seven strikes in his last five games. If United are to have any chance of turning the tie, they must limit the influence of the world champion, a task that will likely fall to Victor Lindelöf, who has been a pillar in United's recent domestic resurgence.
Where to watch
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.
Form guide
Paris
Last game: Caen 1-2 Paris (02/03)
Form: WWWWWWWWLW
Man. United
Last game: United 3-2 Southampton (02/03)
Form: WWDWLWWDWW
Thomas Tuchel, Paris coach
We must forget the result of the first leg. Our principles of playing must remain the same, with a high level of performance. We must always strive to improve.
Manchester [United] like to play 4-4-2 away from home. We need to find a way. We want to set the tempo and control the match in the opposition half and stop the counterattacks high up the pitch, very early. Their two attackers are very fast, very strong.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Manchester United caretaker manager
We need the first goal and we need to stay in the game. Anything can happen. Last year Juventus lost 3-0 to Real Madrid and then went 3-0 up in the second leg; [also] PSG versus Barcelona. There are so many examples of teams who can change results like this.
In the heat of the moment [in the first leg] we made a couple of mistakes, and at this level you get punished against top players. Sometimes you get away [with it] in the Premier League but not in the Champions League.
