Former Paris Saint-Germain player Alain Roche revealed his concern for the capital club heading into the highly anticipated first-leg contest in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 against Bayern Munich on Tuesday at the Parc des Princes.
PSG is heading into the matchup on a two-match losing streak that saw them crash out of the Coupe de France after losing to Olympique de Marseille last Wednesday. Then the French giants followed up the elimination with a loss to AS Monaco on Saturday at the Stade Louis-II.
“I find it hard to imagine that we can press a button and say to ourselves: “That’s it [are] we going to be good,” Roche told Le Parisien. “Because it’s the confidence that is no longer there and, me, that’s what worries me. Doubt set in. I think I have rarely seen PSG in this state. There was sometimes [a] sufficiency lack of concentration.
“It’s a crucial match, yes! You have to win or not lose. Because you’ll hurt them on the way back, and by then, you’ll have time to get back into the swing of things. But it’s a pivotal match. The kind of match that can federate. Because, there, you have everything against you.”
Despite the remarks regarding the current state of PSG, Roche believes there are grounds for hope as Kylian Mbappe, who suffered a left-thigh injury on Feb. 1 and had an initial diagnosis of being out for three weeks.
“It changes a lot of things [Mbappe’s return],” Roche continued. “We are still talking about one of the best players in the world. It gives a little balm to the heart to your partners. Afterward, it forces the opposing coach to think about another tactic, even if he had anticipated his presence. And then it’s an additional threat for Bayern. It’s not the same to have Mbappé as another player on the pitch.”
A win over Bayern Munich, especially a convincing result, might allow some to step away from the panic button and take a deep sigh of relief, hoping it’s the start of a good stretch after a terrifying past week.
