PSG captain Marquinhos 'fit to start' Champions League semi-final

PSG captain Marquinhos ‘fit enough to start’ crucial Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester City after overcoming adductor problem that kept him out against Bayern

  • Marquinhos had to sit out the quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich 
  • He scored in the first leg but was later forced off with an adductor problem
  • The Brazilian returned to training and is reportedly fit enough to face Man City
  • Mauricio Pochettino’s side are in Paris first before the return leg in Manchester 

Paris Saint-Germain will reportedly be able to call upon captain Marquinhos from the start against Manchester City in Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg after he recovered from injury.

L’Equipe report the centre back has handed boss Mauricio Pochettino a major boost in regaining his fitness in time for the last four meeting at the Parc des Princes.

Marquinhos scored a crucial away goal in the last round against Bayern Munich before disaster struck and he picked up an injury which kept him out of the second leg.

PSG captain Marquinhos is reportedly fit to return in time to take on Manchester City next

The Brazilian defender (pictured in green) has had to sit in the stands injured since April 7 

The defender has been resigned to the stands since that win in Munich on April 7 but is now ready to return to the fold for PSG’s biggest game of the season.

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who signed a new deal this week to remain in Paris, is also reportedly in contention to come back into the side.

Navas was given a rest for the midweek French Cup win over Angers having previously nursed a shoulder injury.

He missed last Sunday’s Ligue 1 win over Saint-Etienne with the issue and was rested as a precaution ahead of facing Pep Guardiola’s side.  

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas is expected to be fit despite having been nursing a shoulder issue

Kylian Mbappe (right) limped off against Metz but there is optimism he can take on City next

It is hoped Kylian Mbappe, who limped off at the weekend, has shaken off any problems in time to play a key role on Wednesday night. 

Pochettino took over mid-season but has impressed, particularly in Europe, by knocking out Barcelona and Bayern Munich, the reigning champions.

PSG know they are two games away from back-to-back Champions League and Pochettino knows this is the competition above all else that their Qatari owners are desperate to win. 

‘The target in the last 10 years has been to win the Champions League and the club is working really hard to try to be there and win,’ he said. ‘It is that last step, which is always the most difficult.

‘If you remember at Tottenham, it was always about the last step being the most difficult thing. But Paris Saint-Germain is there and now it is about winning. I love to feel this. I love to feel that you need to win every single game.’

Mauricio Pochettino is two games away from taking PSG to a second straight European final




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