Neymar could be back as PSG face Real Madrid in the UCL
Key takeaways:
- Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi are all predicted to the lineup for PSG against Real Madrid.
- Since November, Neymar could play his first match for Paris St-Germain when they host Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 game on Tuesday.
Champions League round of 16 PSG vs. Real Madrid:
The Brazilian returned to training after mourning ankle damage.
Former Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos is PSG's only absentee as he stumbles with a calf issue.
"Given the players involved, this could have been the final," declared PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Pochettino's squad lost in the semi-finals to Manchester City the previous season. The pressure is rising on the ex-Tottenham boss to have a first European crown to the French side.
The Qatar-owned club lost the 2020 final to Bayern Munich, but that had gone out in the previous 16 in three consecutive seasons.
Lionel Messi, who bought from Barcelona in the summer, scored five of his seven goals for the team in the Champions League and scored a record 26 times against Real Madrid during his spell at Barca.
"PSG have been attempting to succeed this award for 50 years, so we are the competitors," stated Pochettino, whose squad is 13 points precise at the top of Ligue 1.
"We have so much admiration for Real Madrid as one of the best teams in the world. You don't succeed in 13 European Cups, thanks to your managers; that is down to the overall stability of the club."
"We are the opponents, a lot of action has gone into building a team to reach our dream, but we're still the challengers, and Real Madrid is the ones who have a practice of prevailing the Champions League."