Although he has posted flattering statistics since the start of the competition, Kylian Mbappé has still not delivered a benchmark match on the European scene this season. The trip to Dortmund gives him the opportunity to strike a big blow.
PSG no longer has a choice. Already beaten twice this season away, at Newcastle then at Milan, the capital club is obliged to win on the pitch of Borussia Dortmund to be certain of being at the meeting of the eighth of the Champions League final next February. A defeat and even a draw could in fact mean that the Rouge et Bleu have to settle for the Europa League. A first since the arrival of the Qataris.
To achieve their goals, PSG will have to do without Ousmane Dembélé, undoubtedly their best player in the competition this season. On the other hand, he hopes to be able to count on Kylian Mbappé finally there. From a statistical point of view, the Bondynois certainly did not perform poorly in the Champions League. Top scorer in the League with 15 goals in 14 Ligue 1 matches, the French world champion has scored 3 goals in 5 appearances in the Champions League.
But in the game, the former Monegasque’s performances were most often insufficient, particularly during the two trips to England and Italy, going against the grain of his partners. For Lucien Favre, former Borussia coach, the Parisian striker also holds the keys to the match. And all the more so since uncertainty reigns regarding its positioning. Luis Enrique could indeed be tempted to keep him at the forefront of the attack, like against Nantes, with Bradley Barcola and Kang-In Lee at his side. Unless he repositions him in the left lane, this time with Randal Kolo Muani in the middle.
“Everything will depend on Mbappé’s position. Borussia has big problems on the flanks, especially the right so if he plays there, he could hurt. Mbappé is still important, thus estimated the Swiss technician, nevertheless adding: “He can be dangerous anywhere, with his extraordinary speed to make the difference in one-on-one situations. »
“I like his role as a false center forward. For the other team, this is a problem: should the central defender defend lower or mark him? If the centre-backs go for it, it will create spaces behind them, he clarified. The problem is that Mbappé is not used to playing like that, we see it on the pitch. He can play anywhere, but he has to get used to it, he has to find automatisms. And then, will PSG have the speed on the sides to replace him, like Dembélé? »
