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.

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    Carlo Ancelotti insists "it is just a matter of time" until Kylian Mbappe breaks his goal drought, with the Real Madrid forward having failed to find the net in his last four appearances.

    The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has endured a tricky start to life with Los Blancos since making the switch as a free agent.

    Despite scoring eight goals in 16 appearances across all competitions, Mbappe is yet to truly catch fire at Santiago Bernabeu, where his displays have been subjected to widespread criticism.

    The France forward has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04, while he was left out of Les Bleus' squad for their recent Nations League matches after going over 400 minutes without scoring.

    Mbappe is averaging a goal every 166 minutes in all competitions this term, compared to one every 88 minutes in his final campaign with PSG, but Ancelotti is confident the tables will turn.

    "It happens to all great strikers," the Italian told reporters ahead of Madrid's clash with Leganes on Sunday. "He can get frustrated, but that's not his case. I see him motivated and happy to train with his team-mates.

    "Sooner or later, he will break that streak of games in which he hasn't scored goals. Tomorrow, he will have a great game because it is just a matter of time. He has incredible quality and, sooner or later, he will show it."

    Ancelotti also addressed suggestions Mbappe should be switched from the central attacking position to the left wing, in place of top scorer Vinicius Junior.

    "I don't think Kylian has ever asked me for a position on the pitch, everyone wants to start in the starting 11," Los Blancos' head coach added. "But Mbappe and Vinicius don't have a fixed position on the pitch. It all depends on the match."

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  • 'It was typical Kane', says Kompany after Bayern star smashes Bundesliga record 'It was typical Kane', says Kompany after Bayern star smashes Bundesliga record

    Vincent Kompany quipped it was "typical Harry Kane" after the England captain netted his 50th Bundesliga goal in Bayern Munich's 3-0 win over Augsburg.

    Kane scored all of Bayern's goals in Friday's victory, as Kompany's side went, at least temporarily, eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

    In the process, Kane netted his 50th goal in the competition, reaching the milestone in just 43 appearances, smashing the previous record of 50 set by Erling Haaland during his time at Borussia Dortmund.

    Two of Kane's goals came from the penalty spot, before he rounded off his hat-trick in the 95th minute with a deft header after he had exquisitely controlled Leon Goretzka's lobbed pass.

    "It was typical Harry Kane," Kompany said. "He had situations in the first half where he could maybe have done better.

    "But a player like him can score at any moment, he went on to score three."

    Joshua Kimmich hailed Kane's composure from the penalty spot.

    "I've never seen him miss one," Kimmich said.

    "In general we have complete faith in him and he repays that faith. To take and score a penalty like that is a real quality. It's always regarded as easy from the outside but it's quite extraordinary."

    Ten of Kane's 50 Bundesliga goals have come from penalties, while 32 of them have been with his right foot, nine with his left and nine with his head.

    Kane is also the quickest Bayern player to hit 50 league goals for the club, surpassing Robert Lewandowski's previous record of 64 games by a staggering 21 matches.

    The 31-year-old has netted every 75 minutes on average.

    "We said at half-time we should just keep going and create chances," Kane told reporters.

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    "We're in a good moment, we're feeling good and should just keep the momentum up."

     

    Bayern's dominance was reflected in the match stats, with Kompany's team having 33 shots to Augsburg's two, getting 14 of them on target, and accumulating 3.77 expected goals (xG) while giving up just 0.1 at the other end.

    But Kompany says there is much more to come.

    "It's normal for it not to be easy – after all it's a Bundesliga game," he said.

    "We had 33 attempts at goal and very often found ourselves inside their box. But we remained patient and continued to show that we wanted to score goals.

    "When you're in the penalty area as often as we were, it's normal that there will be a penalty given at some point.

    "I'm never satisfied because I want us to always be improving. I know how important the win was tonight, and I can really appreciate it."

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