PSG to Rest Kylian Mbappe Before Champions League Showdown

Kylian Mbappe is expected to sit out Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 meeting with Lille on Saturday as the club does not want to risk his injured ankle with a Champions League last 16 tie looming.

The PSG star suffered the injury in his side’s French Cup last 16 win over Brest on Thursday in which Mbappe scored the opening goal.

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Initial medical tests were reportedly “reassuring” but PSG coach Luis Enrique will not want to risk his prize asset ahead of the Champions League visit of Real Sociedad five days later.

Further tests on the player who is being linked to a move to Real Madrid when his contract expires at the end of the season are scheduled for Friday.

While Mbappe’s future is uncertain, so too is PSG’s continued presence at their Parc des Princes home.

The club’s bid to buy the stadium from owners the Paris City Council appear to have been quashed after a meeting on Thursday.

“It’s finished now, we want to leave the Parc des Princes,” said the club’s Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Lille, sitting fourth, will give Enrique’s men a decent test ahead of next Thursday’s important European date.

The culprit for Mbappe’s injury was Brest defender Lilian Brassier, who was sent off after a second yellow card and was then subjected to racist attacks on social media.

Brest, who are flying high in third and host Clermont on Sunday, issued a statement roundly condemning the online abuse received by their player.

PSG, vying for their third straight domestic league title and 12th in all, are coasting at the top, eight points clear of Nice, who host south coast rivals Monaco.

Nice, owned by Manchester United’s new stakeholder Jim Ratcliffe of Ineos, thrashed Montpellier 4-1 in the French Cup in midweek.

Friday’s sole fixture gives Marseille the perfect opportunity to secure their first win of 2024 when relegation-threatened Metz turn up at their Velodrome headquarters.

Marseille are looking to bounce back after last weekend’s defeat to fallen giants Lyon who are away to Montpellier.

A win would ease nerves at Marseille where various crisis meetings have been held as they have slipped down to eighth.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Marseille v Metz (2000)

Saturday

Lens v Strasbourg (1600)

Paris Saint-Germain v Lille (2000)

Sunday

Le Havre v Rennes (1200)

Toulouse v Nantes (1400)

Clermont v Brest (1400)

Lorient v Reims (1400)

Montpellier v Lyon (1605)

Nice v Monaco (1945)

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)