What about Angel Di Maria and Keylor Navas?
Coué method?
Respectively affected in the adductor and quadriceps, Keylor Navas and Angel Di Maria are anything but certain to be able to play in Barcelona.
The Parisian staff, however, wants to be confident.
"Navas is doing well, he is recovering well", said Pochettino after Nîmes (3-0), not ruling out the idea of recovering the Costa Rican goalkeeper in Caen or against Nice (see elsewhere).
Regarding Di Maria, injured in Marseille (0-2), we are still waiting for the results of the exams.
“We think it's not very serious, but we have to wait for the exams to see how serious the injury is,” Pochettino said on Sunday.
The last echoes are not very reassuring, but we will perhaps know more during the day this Tuesday, during the press conference of the Parisian coach (2:30 p.m.).
A priori, no worries for Mauro Icardi and Marco Verratti, victims of blows against OM.
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What dynamic for the two clubs?
In the red at the bank and awaiting the election of its new president on March 7, Barça is going through an area of turbulence behind the scenes.
The real-false start of Lionel Messi has also been there ... On the ground, however, things are better for the Barcelona, winners of their last eight matches in all competitions and who have only experienced defeat once in their Last 16 matches.
It was January 17, against Bilbao (2-3), in the final of the Spanish Supercup.
The key to this regain of form is the return to the top of Lionel Messi and especially Antoine Griezmann.
The world champion has scored seven goals in his last nine matches.
Frenkie de Jong also finally manages to express his qualities in the midfield and Ousmane Dembélé has stayed away from the infirmary in recent weeks.
All is not perfect, but Barça are on the upswing.
The Parisians, they still do not emit an impressive collective force.
The change of coach had no noticeable effect at this level.
But the returns in form of Neymar and Kylian Mbappé are important indicators.
Apart from "the accident" in Lorient (3-2 defeat), PSG has won everything (6 successes) under Mauricio Pochettino since his draw in Saint-Etienne (1-1), including two duels against OM (2-1 at the Champions Trophy and 2-0 at the Vélodrome).
To see if the physical work initiated by the Argentine coach will pay off in time.
What defense for Barça against Paris?
Bad times for Ronald Koeman.
Already deprived for several weeks of Gerard Pique (knee), the Dutch coach had found an unexpected solution in the person of Ronald Araujo.
Except that the young (21) Uruguayan defender sprained his ankle last weekend.
According to the Spanish press, no chance that it will be delivered in time for Paris.
His absence would be counted in weeks.
Koeman therefore has the choice between the French left-handers Clément Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti, the inexperienced Oscar Mingueza (21 years old, 12 matches in La Liga, 0 in C1) and… De Jong, already used as a central hinge this season.
On the left, no problem: Jordi Alba is there.
And on the right, it will be Sergino Dest or Mingueza.
Executioner of PSG four years ago, Sergi Roberto (thigh) has him for several weeks according to the Spanish press.
Finally, the nugget Ansu Fati (ankle) and Neymar's great friend, Philippe Coutinho (knee), still have several months to wax the benches of the infirmary.
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What program for the two teams between now and next Tuesday?
Two more matches on the menu for the Parisians before going to Catalonia: in Caen (L2) this Wednesday (9 p.m.), in the 32nd of the Coupe de France, and against Nice, next Saturday (5 p.m.), during the 25th day of Ligue 1. Facing the Aiglons, no way to ignore.
Lille (1st, 54 pts) and Lyon (2nd, 52 pts) are ahead of PSG (3rd, 51 pts) and Monaco (4th, 48 pts) in the Ligue 1 standings. “It may not be more bad: that means that we will play with intensity, slipped Mbappé after the OM, on
Canal +
.
And by dint of playing matches with intensity, you are less surprised when you arrive in C1. "
On the menu for Barça?
Semi-final first leg of the Copa del Rey on the field of Sevilla FC Wednesday (9 p.m.), a shock, and reception of the poorly classified Alaves on Saturday (9 p.m.), in La Liga.
Like the Parisians, the Barcelona are behind in the classification of their championship, showing an outlay of eight points on the leader, Atlético (51 points against 43).
And again, the Colchoneros have one game less.
What eleven for Pochettino's first European shock in Paris?
If we still wait to see the Pochettino leg, we already see an eleven emerging.
In the goals (Navas) and behind (Florenzi-Marquinhos-Kimpembe-Kurzawa), no subject.
In the middle, the Verratti-Paredes doublet starts with a head start, while the “fantastic 4” (Neymar, Mbappé, Di Maria, Icardi) are back in business.
Except with the uncertainties hanging over Keylor Navas and Angel Di Maria, the 48-year-old Argentine coach could review his plans.
Regarding the goalkeeper position, it is obviously Sergio Rico who would fill a possible absence of Navas.
A Di Maria package would ask more questions.
Pochettino could opt for a job-for-job replacement, with Pablo Sarabia, or use an additional recovery midfielder, pushing Marco Verratti up a notch.
In Marseille last Sunday (2-0 victory), it was for example Idrissa Gueye who took the place of "Ney" in the starting lineup.
And Marco Verratti, in the oven and in the mill, shone in this role.
The probable eleven
:
Navas (or Rico) - Florenzi, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Kurzawa - Di Maria (or Sarabia or a middle), Paredes, Verratti, Neymar - Mbappé, Icardi.
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Neymar operational against his former club?
If he has been slowed down by a gastro in recent days, forcing Mauricio Pochettino to leave him on the bench at kick-off in Marseille, Neymar should be 100% against Barça.
In any case, no reason to think otherwise.
Moreover, “Neymar was really sick”, as Pochettino confirmed after OM, thus cutting the grass under the feet of those who could make a link with his birthday.
It is a "Ney" in full possession of his means who should therefore appear in a Camp Nou that he regaled between 2013 and his transfer to Paris, in 2017.
Lionel Messi, at the heart of all attention?
Whether it is Real Madrid or FC Barcelona, the giants of Spain have a habit of being particularly aggressive in their communication, directly or through friendly media, when they ogle a player.
PSG has suffered regularly in recent years, for Neymar or Kylian Mbappé for example ... And recently, it was OL who experienced it, with Koeman who did not really hide his interest in Memphis Depay.
And this even after the end of the summer transfer window.
So when he sees the Parisian campaign about Lionel Messi, and the offended reactions in Catalonia, the Lyon coach Rudi Garcia sees "the sprinkler watered", on
beIN SPORTS
.
One thing is certain: the Parisian leaders will try their luck to repatriate the “Pulga” to the Parc des Princes this summer.
Remember that the six-fold Golden Ball will be free in June.
Remember also that Neymar himself said he wanted to play again with Messi next season, that Leonardo does not hide his interest and that the Argentines Paredes and Di Maria were there for their call in the media, Verratti too.
Obviously, none of this will disturb the 33-year-old Argentina international, but it will add a little more spice to this double-confrontation which was already there ...
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