Time for the show!
On Tuesday evening, Paris Saint-Germain take on Manchester United in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League last-16. The eyes of the football word will be focused on Old Trafford and, above all, the Rouge et Bleu stars.
The Theatre of Dreams will be living up to its name tonight. Top of their group in December, Paris Saint-Germain earned to right to play the second leg at home and the first leg away to a Manchester United side that's riding a wave of confidence under new coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. But the form of the Red Devils changes little for our Rouge et Bleu, who know what's waiting for them: "It doesn't affect us at all," said Marquinhos. "We know that Manchester United have a big history in the Champions League. But there players were great players a few months ago and they still are today. It's just the form that has changed. We will study them well, their style, their philosophy, find their strengths and weaknesses and try and play as well as possible in Manchester."
Thomas Tuchel's side are also aware of their own potential, as Julian Draxler attests: "They are playing better in recent weeks. THey play good football and are dangerous, but we are too. We also have a very strong side and it's going t be a great match and I hope we get a good result at Old Trafford."
No French side has ever won away to Manchester United in European competition (4 draws, 10 losses)... but Paris Saint-Germain head to Old Trafford with reasons to believe: Paris boasted the best attack of the Champions League group stage with 17 goals scored in their six matches.
While Edinson Cavani, Neymar Jr and Thomas Meunier are absent, Kylian Mbappé will be present. 69% of the Rouge et Bleu striker's goals in the Champions League have come on the road (9/13), the best ratio for a player with more than ten goals in Europe over the same period.
While Kylian accepts that the Red Devils will be a handful, the World Cup winner has plenty of ambition: "In football, there are highs and lows. They are back on a high at the moment, but we have prepared outselves to be ready for the battle for the full 90 minutes."
Sentiments echoed by Angel Di Maria: "It will be a very difficult match. Not easy. But we have experienced players in our team who have already won this competition and who want to win it again. We have to maintain that mentalitty." Let the game begin!