Since Antiquity, a plethora of civilizations have attributed sacred virtues to the number 7. When it comes to playing its future in the queen competition of European football, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will not contradict this symbolism of numbers, relying mainly on the talent of its number 7: Kylian Mbappé. On Wednesday March 8, the capital club meets Bayern Munich in the knockout stages of the Champions League (C1). In unfavorable waivers after their defeat (0-1) in the first leg, Christophe Galtier and his men must imperatively beat the Germans, at the Allianz-Arena, to see the quarters.
On February 14, Mbappé, 24, started the first act of this duel on the bench, just recovered from a thigh injury. Coming into play during the second half, he had completely transformed his team – if not for the score. So much so that in the post-match press conference, the Munich coach was bombarded with questions about the Parisian prodigy striker and the threat he will pose to his troops in the return match. “Kylian Mbappé can change any meeting. PSG are better with him than without.conceded Julian Nagelsmann, before promising: “We will have good ideas to counter it. »
That evening, the Bavarians had inflicted on the Ile-de-France residents their third defeat in a row, in all competitions. Unheard of since November 2011. A few days earlier, PSG had, in fact, been eliminated from the Coupe de France by Olympique de Marseille (2-1), before falling to Monaco (3-1) in the championship. Two games in which his number 7 pointed to the infirmary. Since then, the dynamic has reversed: the Parisians have just had three successes in Ligue 1 and the kid from Bondy (Seine-Saint-Denis) is no stranger to it, author of five of the eleven goals scored by his team. Sunday, against Nantes at the Parc des Princes, he even became the best pyrotechnician in the history of the club: 201 achievements in 247 games played.
“The fact that Mbappé is present is very important for Paris, he brings so many things on the pitchexplained to Monde Benjamin Nivet, consultant for Amazon Prime Video before the “classic” OM-PSG, February 26. There is a rather impressive Mbappé-dependence on PSG. » “When Kylian is there, it’s like in the France team, you have a little more confidence, he’s a player who can make the difference”, summarized Kingsley Coman, Bayern winger and teammate of the player with the Blues, on Canal +. Under his leadership, PSG pierces the opposing defenses more easily, insists the former “Titi”, scorer in the first leg of C1.
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