A few more hours to hold your breath and hope. It is this Wednesday, at midday, that the final decision will be taken regarding a participation of Kylian Mbappé in this 8th final return of the Champions League against Dortmund. PSG meets this Wednesday morning at Camp des Loges for a final training session, a few hours from the match. It is generally a muscular awakening of about thirty minutes, not really an intensive session.
Two options are in balance concerning the world champion: a tenure in attack with Edinson Cavani or a place on the bench, to play the luxury replacements. Mbappé has been bedridden since Monday, victim of an angina that empties him of all energy. This Tuesday morning, he was expected to run to Camp des Loges but he was unable to get to the training center.
Thomas Tuchel, the coach, had mentioned the possibility of postponing the restart this evening for his offensive advantage number 1, which remains on a spectacular hat-trick in the semi-final of the Coupe de France in Lyon (5-1) on the 4th March. But Tuesday night, Bondy's prodigy failed to leave his Paris apartment to run around. The day before, he had remained cloistered at his home, dismissed by the PSG doctors who had noted his feverish state (sore throat, fever).
He could still start the meeting
Time is running out and nothing is lost yet even if this multiplication of setbacks in the preparation of the best accomplice of Neymar is both a personal and collective blow as his partners know his skills to destabilize the opposing defenses.
The club doctors obviously followed closely the development of his health throughout the day, by increasing the number of exams. Given the symptoms and his return trip Friday with PSG in Strasbourg, near a coronavirus outbreak, it was tested according to L'Equipe. Information confirmed by TF1 which stated that the results were negative.
The match would have taken place on Tuesday, the number 10 in selection would have been forced, death in the soul, to forfeit. On Wednesday, everything can still change thanks to the rest and treatment he has received for the past two days. Even if he has no chance of being at 100% of his physical means, he can still start the meeting.
He has already overcome pain in the past
This PSG-Dortmund is an event that it has targeted for a long time. He is hyper motivated to return to the quarter-final stage, which he has not attended since his Monegasque era and the epic of 2017 (semi-final). In the past, he has proven that he can push back his tolerance for suffering.
In July 2018, his back was blocked but he still played in a World Cup semi-final against Belgium (1-0), sowing discord in the defense of the Red Devils. His mind had allowed him to move on. A sign that everything still seems possible even when the facts call for caution and a form of wisdom.
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With a Thiago Silva in full recovery after sixteen days of stoppage and a Neymar in lack of rhythm, Thomas Tuchel can he afford to establish a third player reduced athletically? This is part of the equation to which the coach is subjected.