Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel admitted his star forward Kylian Mbappé will need a “miracle” to be fit for the upcoming Champions League quarterfinals against Atalanta in Portugal next month.
Mbappé was ruled out for three weeks after suffering a significant ankle injury during a Coupe de France final victory over Saint-Etienne last Friday.
“This will have an important influence for us, but I hope that the solution will be found,” Tuchel told reporters ahead of Friday's Coupe de la Ligue final against Lyon, according to Goal.com. “We still hope [he can play against Atalanta], but the chances will be very, very small. Every day counts to achieve a miracle, but tomorrow we will have to adapt without Kylian.”
Tuchel knows the chances of Mbappé suiting up in time for a matchup against a Serie A third-place Atalanta are slim to none, as the 21-year-old had to be helped off the pitch after being on the receiving end of a nasty scissor-like tackle last week.
With Mbappé sidelined, PSG will be in the need of Mauro Icardi's services, as the Argentinian striker is expected to line up next to Neymar for the matches against Lyon and Atalanta.
Icardi, who has scored 20 goals in all competitions since coming from Inter Milan by way of loan (then made into a permanent transfer) could continue his strong form when the club needs him most.
“He was very strong in the first friendlies, he is always very strong with Neymar, Kylian and Angel Di Maria. He likes to play with all three,” said Tuchel.
“He matches the characteristics of the team. It is not necessary for him not to touch the ball too many times. He can wait. He has a lot of patience. It's up to everyone to improve, not just him. He will improve and he can play better. He works a lot defensively, he is disciplined, he is important for us.”
Paris Saint-Germain knows there's a lot at stake in the next few weeks and doing so without their brightest star won't be an easy task. If a “miracle” does happen, expect Tuchel to be conscious of how long he leaves Kylian Mbappé out on the pitch after recovering from a significant injury.
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