Champions League: Is Bayern Munich ready to face PSG's Messi, Neymar? Matthijs de Ligt reveals team's mindset
Matthijs de Ligt has said that Bayern Munich must be at its “best” when it meets Paris Saint-Germain forwards Lionel Messi and Neymar in the Champions League round of 16.
FollowThe stage is set for a mouth-watering UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg clash between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Bayern Munich on February 15 (1:30 AM IST), and fans of both teams cannot stop raving about the high-octane encounter. Ahead of the crucial tie, the Bavarians' Matthijs de Ligt has stated that his team must be at its 'best' when they meet PSG stars Lionel Messi and Neymar in the clash.
Messi, who picked up a hamstring injury in the team's Coupe de France defeat to Marseille last week, is expected to be in the Playing XI and lead the French giants' attack alongside Brazilian superstar Neymar. With Kylian Mbappe missing out due to a thigh injury, PSG fans will hope that the two South American legends come good against Bayern Munich.
Confirming the Argentina World Cup 2022-winning captain's availability, PSG boss Christophe Galtier said after the team's 1-3 loss to Monaco: "No, concerning Kylian, the period of unavailability was defined from the start. He's a sprinter with a muscle injury. Leo felt discomfort at the end of the game in Marseille. He should resume training tomorrow or even Monday. We will take stock at that time."
De Ligt is aware that his team's performance will need to improve to restrict Messi and Neymar when they face each other in their Champions League clash on Tuesday night.
"We have to be at our best," de Ligt said following Bayern Munich's 3-0 home league victory over VfL Bochum on Saturday. "Everybody knows what quality they have. They are amazing players.
"The most important thing is that we stay fit, and we are concentrated."
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Bayern Munich has allowed a mere 18 goals in Bundesliga play this season. Messi and Neymar have combined to score 22 goals in the ongoing Ligue 1 campaign. It will be interesting to see which team seals a victory in the Champions League round of 16 first-leg encounter at the Parc des Princes.
