If Paris Saint-Germain want to advance past FC Barcelona in their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie, they’ll need more than Kylian Mbappé to ensure they defeat the Catalan side.
So, which PSG players will need to join him in having an impressive two legs? CBS Sports’ Jonathan Johnson spoke with PSG Talk and revealed a pair of players that need to have an amazing 180 minutes if the Parisians want to punch their ticket to the semifinals.
Johnson picks Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is having an excellent 2023-24 season. Johnson states that the Italian goalkeeper will be tasked with making key saves as Barcelona does pose a threat offensively.
“I mean, I think there’s two real candidates for that,” Johnson said. “Well, maybe three, actually, because Donnarumma’s form has generally been very, very good so far this season. So him making key saves will be useful as well.”
The other selection is Ousmane Dembélé as the former Barcelona standout needs to be Mbappé’s running mate in generating offense.
“If I had to pick somebody else to be second or maybe third in line behind Mbappe, I think Dembélé is one,” Johnson added. “And when I say [they] need Dembélé to have a stellar performance, it’s not necessarily that we need him to be at a better level than he’s been recently because, generally speaking, he has been quite productive.
“I think it’s just one of those ones where you really need Dembélé to, you know, have one of those evenings where everything comes together, including the finishing as well.”
Furthermore, the 26-year-old can also aid the Parisians in game planning for the opposition as Dembélé played under Xavi Hernandez and knows what to expect from the Spanish manager.