BAYERN Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann believes the absence of Neymar will not weaken Paris Saint-Germain in their UEFA Champions League clash tomorrow night.
PSG travel to Munich for the second leg of the round of 16 tie after losing the first leg 1-0 at home three weeks ago.
Neymar, 31, who has 13 goals and 11 assists in Ligue 1 this season, picked up an ankle injury last month in a 4-3 win over Lille and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Although the Brazilian is very important to PSG, Nagelsmann believes the return of another superstar forward to full fitness will make up for Neymar’s absence.
“It doesn’t change much. (Kylian) Mbappé will start, that changes things (from the first leg),” Nagelsmann said during his pre-match press conference today.
“PSG have a clear idea with Lionel Messi and Mbappé upfront. We have to prevent passes to Messi. But we can’t defend everything, Yann Sommer will have a role to play.
“Mbappe’s substitution in the first leg had an effect on PSG and also on us. He’s one of the best strikers in the world. The approach changes when he plays.
“Tomorrow he will start. It’s about solving things collectively. We are definitely well prepared.”
Nagelsmann has fitness doubts concerning a key player of his own in Sadio Mane, but he had a positive update on the Senegal forward.
“He’s getting more and more rhythm. I don’t think he’ll start, but it hasn’t been decided yet,” he explained.
“The players off the bench have to bring momentum and goal scoring threat, depending on what we need. He can also be decisive off the bench if he doesn’t start.”
When Nagelsmann was asked if PSG’s defence was their weak spot, he replied: “I wouldn’t call it weakness, but they do have very clear defensive behaviour that is good to use, but dangerous if misused. I don’t want to reveal too much about our plan, but we want to use that to our advantage.”
Kingsley Coman scored the only goal early in the second half of the first leg on February 14 in Paris to hand Bayern the advantage.
