Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) captain Marquinhos has said he is confident Kylian Mbappe will produce a much-improved performance in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash with Barcelona. The Brazilian’s comments came after the Frenchman endured a frustrating night in a 3-2 first-leg defeat to Barca at the Parc des Princes.
Kylian Mbappe Dropped A Disasterclass In Champions League Quarter-Final First Leg
French champions PSG welcomed La Liga holders Barcelona to the Parc des Princes for their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday night (April 10). Having gone 27 games without defeat ahead of Wednesday’s contest, the hosts were expected to dominate proceedings. However, much to the home fans’ dismay, their team failed to live up to expectations and suffered a 3-2 defeat.
One of the most sought-after players on the planet, Mbappe, delivered a tame performance, failing to do anything of note throughout the 90 minutes. Barcelona contained his runs with little effort, isolated him on the left, and closed him down before he could get his shots away. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner did not test the goalkeeper even once, failed to complete four of his five attempted dribbles, and lost eight ground duels.
Marquinhos Backs Kylian Mbappe To Return To Form At Barcelona
PSG will need to produce a considerably better performance to proceed to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at Barcelona’s expense. Speaking to the press, PSG captain Marquinhos acknowledged the shortcomings in their game and backed Mbappe to bounce back with a bang in the return leg.
Marquinhos said (via GOAL):
“Surely Mbappé is going to be better in Barcelona. He is the first one who wants to go to the semifinals, he is a very important player for us. I am sure that he will give the best version of himself in Barcelona.”
Looking back on the outcome, Marquinhos added:
“They were more decisive than us and won the game. It was an open match. People who like football surely liked the game. I think that the people who had PSG as favorites wanted to put pressure on us.”
Mbappe has a pretty great record against the Blaugrana, scoring four times in three games so far. He sensationally scored a hat-trick as PSG beat Barca 4-1 in a group stage meeting in the 2020-21 season.
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