Kylian Mbappé a doubt for Champions League return with Manchester City

Paris Saint-Germain’s head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, will make a late decision on whether or not to play Kylian Mbappé in their second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Manchester City on Tuesday.

Mbappé missed the 2-1 victory over Lens on Saturday because of a thigh injury and while he has travelled with the PSG squad to Manchester there is some doubt regarding the striker’s availability for the game.

“We need to assess Kylian,” said Pochettino at his pre-match press conference on Monday. “Today he is going to start an individual training session and see if he can be with the team. There is still one day and we will see and decide if he is going to be available.”

Mbappé is vital to PSG’s hopes of overcoming City and reaching a second Champions League final in succession, with the French champions 2-1 down from the first leg in Paris last week. The 22-year-old World Cup-winner has scored eight times in the Champions League so far this season, second only to Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland, who has 10 goals.

Meanwhile, Idrissa Gana Gueye will be suspended for the final if PSG get through. The former Everton player received an automatic one-match ban – ruling him out of Tuesday’s game – after his sending off in the first leg. Uefa have now announced the suspension has been extended to two matches for “serious rough play” following a disciplinary hearing.

The governing body have also fined PSG €26,000 (£22,550) for delaying the kick-off last week.

source: theguardian.com