MY ACCOUNT
Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos is convinced Kylian Mbappe will be at ease with the prospect of facing Real Madrid amid the backdrop of intense speculation linking him with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Mbappe has been a long-term target of Madrid’s and was the subject of more than one huge bids last year, but PSG held firm, adamant they could persuade him to sign a new deal.
Half a year on and Mbappe is into the final six months of his PSG contract, with everything pointing towards a likely free transfer to Madrid at the end of the season.
As such, all eyes will be on the France star as PSG take on Madrid in their upcoming last-16 tie in the Champions League.
Madrid visit Paris on Tuesday looking to get the upper hand, but Marquinhos has no doubts about Mbappe’s state of mind.
Asked on Monday if beating Madrid over the two legs could convince Mbappe to stay at PSG, Marquinhos replied: “That is not the goal. The goal is to play well because even though it’s over two legs, we know the home leg is particularly important.
“We are at home, and we will try to get a good result, play well and win. We want to score goals as that is important.
“We want Kylian to be as comfortable and happy as possible. He is still quite young and very strong mentally.
“He knows how to navigate the moments he is living through. He is confident, and we can see how he is doing on the pitch.
“He is at ease with the situation, happy to play with us, and we will make the most of that so he can be decisive for us. I hope he does that with us tomorrow, and he has his choices to make.”
PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino is thought to be under significant pressure heading into this tie, with recent reports claiming he could be dismissed if they fail to reach the quarter-finals.
Yet he does not think there is greater pressure on PSG to prevail, suggesting they remain “pretenders” in a competition they have not yet won.
“I don’t think there’s more pressure on one side than the other,” he said. “We respect Madrid given the history and trophies – they have won the most Champions League titles, 13, which shows that it’s not just about players or coaching staff, but the strength within the structure internally at the club.
“Whenever you win trophies, it’s down to a combination of factors where clubs can show their power, even more so in the Champions League.
“I don’t think there is a favourite. It’s a tie that could be a final, given the names, players and quality. Madrid have been winning this competition for 50 years – PSG are the pretenders.
“And now we are trying to get closer to that dream. I have total confidence in my team and players, and the supporters who give us energy.”
