Sports
Thomas Tuchel ‘Cannot Say 100%’ That Neymar Will Be Fit for Dortmund UCL Clash
Thibault Camus/Associated PressParis Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel has said Neymar is a doubt for the team’s UEFA Champions League showdown with Borussia Dortmund.The French champions are in action on Tuesday against the Bundesliga side in the last-16 of the competition, with the first leg to be played at the Westfalenstadion.PSG may have to face Dortmund…
Thibault Camus/Associated Press
Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel has said Neymar is a doubt for the team's UEFA Champions League showdown with Borussia Dortmund.
The French champions are in action on Tuesday against the Bundesliga side in the last-16 of the competition, with the first leg to be played at the Westfalenstadion.
PSG may have to face Dortmund without their star man though, with the Brazil international absent for the previous three games. After Wednesday's 6-1 mauling of Dijon in the French Cup quarter-final, Tuchel said he doesn't know if Neymar will be ready for the Champions League.
“I cannot say 100 per cent that he will be there,” said the PSG boss, per Get French Football News.
Before the match, Tuchel played down fears the forward will be rusty for the match. “He doesn't need playing time in order to be ready for Dortmund,” he said.
Neymar missed the match with Nantes on February 4 because of inflamed rib cartilage. The forward was then left out of the squad for the match with Lyon on Sunday and the Dijon contest.
His absence has prompted some concern among PSG supporters and now it appears as though they will face an anxious wait to see if he can play his part against Dortmund.
Following Neymar's 28th birthday on Feb. 5, Squawka summed up how much the former Barcelona man has accomplished:
Squawka Football @Squawka
Happy 28th birthday, Neymar:
👕 486 games
⚽️ 368 goals
🇧🇷 101 caps
🏆 22 trophiesFeliz Aniversário. 🎁 https://t.co/M12SSqCG1N
If Neymar can't play, he would be hugely frustrated. PSG have been knocked out at the last-16 stage of the Champions League in the previous two years; over the course of two two-legged ties, the Brazilian has missed three clashes because of injury.
When PSG paid a world-record fee to sign Neymar in 2017, you suspect it was with these crucial Champions League matches in mind.
Although he's suffered with injury niggles again this term, when Neymar has been on the field he's thrived for PSG. In Ligue 1, he has netted 13 goals and laid on six assists in 14 matches.
Even if Neymar was to miss the Dortmund first leg, PSG would be confident of causing their opponents issues with the firepower available. Kylian Mbappe was on the scoresheet against Dijon, while Tuchel also has Angel Di Maria, Mauro Icardi, Edinson Cavani and Pablo Sarabia to call on.
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