PSG star Mbappe could miss Champions League first leg against Bayern with hamstring injury

By Sports Desk February 02, 2023

Kylian Mbappe looks likely to miss Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League last-16 first-leg tie against Bayern Munich with a hamstring injury.

The 24-year-old striker sustained the muscle problem in the first half of PSG's 3-1 Ligue 1 victory at Montpellier on Wednesday and is set to miss around three weeks of action.

The French champions released a statement on Thursday to reveal Mbappe's estimated recovery time, which if accurate would mean he will miss league games against Toulouse, Monaco and Lille, as well as the Coupe de France clash with Marseille and their Champions League first leg at home to Bayern, which takes place on February 14.

"After examinations, Kylian Mbappe suffered from a lesion of the left thigh at the level of the femoral biceps. His recovery time is estimated at three weeks," PSG said.

Mbappe – who has 25 goals in 26 appearances for PSG this season – had a game to forget on Wednesday, having also had a penalty saved, including a retake before somehow also lifting the rebound over the bar, and then coming off with his injury in the 21st minute.

The club also confirmed that Sergio Ramos will undergo "further examinations" after the veteran Spanish centre-back also came off against Montpellier having appeared to suffer a head injury.

Related items

  • Al Hilal crowned Saudi Pro League champions after Al Hazm hammering Al Hilal crowned Saudi Pro League champions after Al Hazm hammering

    Al Hilal secured their fourth straight Saudi Pro League title after Aleksandar Mitrovic starred in Saturday's 4-1 thrashing of bottom side Al Hazm.

    Faiz Selemani restored parity after Mitrovic's 15th-minute opener at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, only for Jorge Jesus' hosts to roar back and be crowned champions with three games remaining.

    Ahmed Al Juwaid's own goal handed the initiative back to the dominant Al Hilal, who led 4-1 at the break after Mitrovic added another to his tally and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was on target.

    The second of Mitrovic's strikes took him to a team-leading 26 league goals this term as Al Hilal breezed to another title, moving an unassailable 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr.

    Jesus' side are unbeaten through all 31 games this season after securing their record-extending 19th top-flight crown in history, while Al Hazm need to win their last three matches to have any chance of staying up.

    Al Hazm's relegation rivals Al Tai boosted their chances of survival in Saturday's earlier clash after a 1-1 draw away against Al Raed.

    Al Tai are just a point away from 15th-placed Abha Club in their bid for top-flight safety after Ibrahim Al Nakhli's strike was cancelled out by Al Raed's Mohammed Fouzair in the second half.

  • Luis Enrique proud of Mbappe but understands decision to leave PSG Luis Enrique proud of Mbappe but understands decision to leave PSG

    Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said he was proud to have had Kylian Mbappe in his team and understood the club's all-time leading scorer's decision to end his seven-year stay.

    Mbappe, whose contract expires this season, announced his departure in a video on Friday after months of speculation about his future.

    "All I can say is marvellous things about Kylian Mbappe as a footballer and person," Luis Enrique told reporters on Saturday.

    "I understand his decision. He has been here for seven years and is a club legend. He has given everything to this club, and this club has given him everything as well. I wish him all the best for the future.

    "I have been proud to have him in this team. He has helped us and is a leader, and he has done so with a smile on his face."

    But losing Mbappe, who has scored 255 goals for PSG in all competitions and won six Ligue 1 titles with them, will not change things at the club, according to Luis Enrique.

    "These are things that we have known for a long time... it was only made public yesterday," he said.

    "But it doesn't change anything in terms of our general outlook. Everything will stay the same.

    "Regardless of those who are here or who are absent, my aim is to be stronger next season."

    Luis Enrique said exiting the Champions League after losing to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals still hurt, and it was important for PSG to end the season by winning the Coupe de France final against Lyon on May 25.

    He added: "PSG will continue to be a great team, and we'll get even better. We will bring in players with strong mentality and players who identify with the club... that's how life works."

    PSG, who have won the Ligue 1 title for the third time in a row, host 12th-placed Toulouse on Sunday, which will be Mbappe's last home game for them.

  • Al-Ittihad 0-5 Al-Ettifaq: Ekambi scores hat-trick in five-star display Al-Ittihad 0-5 Al-Ettifaq: Ekambi scores hat-trick in five-star display

    Karl Toko Ekambi netted a hat-trick as Al-Ettifaq got back to winning ways in style with a 5-0 thrashing of Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.

    He scored twice in four minutes at the end of the first half to send the visitors into the break 4-0 up before getting his third just 10 minutes after the break.

    Seko Fofana had already given Steven Gerrard’s side the lead five minutes into the contest, while Moussa Dembele doubled their advantage from the penalty spot.

    Al-Ittihad had the chances, but they could not find the back of the net, as they stayed fifth, but are now just six points above Al-Ettifaq. 

    Data Debrief: Clinical finishers

    Al-Ettifaq had five shots on target against Al-Ittihad, scoring with all of them while creating an xG of 3.62.

    With his hat-trick against Al-Ittihad, Ekambi has now scored 11 goals for the season, netting more than once for the first time since joining the club.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.