Lionel Messi and Neymar felt the wrath of Paris Saint-Germain fans as the Ligue 1 leaders moved 15 points clear at the top of the table with a 3-0 win over bottom side Bordeaux.

Boos and whistles were aimed at Messi, Neymar and their team-mates before and during the clash at the Parc des Princes, four days after PSG were dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid.

Kylian Mbappe was not targeted, despite reportedly being bound for Madrid, and the in-form striker opened the scoring on Sunday with his 26th goal of the season.

Neymar then responded to abuse from his own supporters by scoring in the second half and Leandro Paredes was also on target, with Messi involved in all three goals and also hitting the post as Mauricio Pochettino's side ended a tough week with a resounding win.

 

PSG were almost caught cold when Remi Oudin let fly with a rasping drive that was well saved by Keylor Navas in the first minute and Jean Onana's glancing header from the resulting corner flashed just wide.

Messi and Neymar continued to be targeted by PSG fans when they touched the ball, but the Argentina captain played a big hand in Mbappe's opening goal 24 minutes in.

The former Barcelona playmaker's reverse pass found Georginio Wijnaldum, who slipped Mbappe in with a perfectly-weighted ball and the France forward finished clinically with his right foot from inside the penalty area.

Messi was then given too much time to thread a pass through to Achraf Hakimi, whose cross was coolly dinked over Bordeaux goalkeeper Gaetan Poussin and into the net seven minutes into the second half.

Although PSG were denied a penalty due to offside following a VAR check, Paredes extended their lead just after the hour mark with a sweet left-foot finish after showing great skill and composure to leave two Bordeaux players on the deck.

Messi struck the woodwork with a long-range strike following a surging run late on as the boos continued to sound, with Pochettino looking distinctly unimpressed with the hostility as his side cruised to victory following back-to-back defeats.

Carlo Ancelotti thinks Real Madrid did not need to beat Paris Saint-Germain to prove an attractive prospect for the likes of Kylian Mbappe.

Karim Benzema's hat-trick secured a stunning comeback for Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu this week.

Mbappe gave PSG a 1-0 lead and a 2-0 aggregate advantage, but PSG suffered a collapse in the final half-hour as Benzema's treble sealed a 3-1 second-leg win and a 3-2 triumph in the tie.

Speculation has since emerged that Mbappe has already agreed a contract with Madrid to join on a free transfer from PSG at the end of the season.

With Madrid also tipped to battle for the signing of Erling Haaland in the next transfer window, Ancelotti was asked ahead of Monday's LaLiga game with Real Mallorca whether the result against PSG made his side more appealing to the world's top players.

He replied: "It's true that the game on Wednesday gave a really good picture of Real Madrid, but Real Madrid doesn't need that. It already has that picture in the world."

When asked whether he met with Mbappe, Ancelotti said: "No, I greeted [Marco] Verratti because he was my player when I coached PSG, and [sporting director] Leonardo, and the people I worked with back then in Paris.

"When you lose, you feel really bad, physically and mentally. All the PSG players were really disappointed. It's happened to everyone."

Ancelotti also denied that Madrid's progress to the quarter-finals has helped him to feel he has the backing of the fans and the club's hierarchy, his side having gone through a run of just one win in five games in all competitions in late January and February.

"Going through shows that everyone together brought Madrid to the quarter-finals," he said. "I don't need backing. The excitement to coach this team is so great that if they criticise you, it doesn't matter at all.

"It meant a lot [to go through], especially in terms of atmosphere. We saw the emotion the team gave to the fans, and what they gave to the team. It was very beautiful and very important.

"We know that, at the Bernabeu, the atmosphere is going to help us. And I'm very happy for the Madrid fans.

"In January, we went through a moment that wasn't so good, but we keep going, and hopefully we can win something this season."

Madrid's attention now turns to a trip to Mallorca knowing that, should Sevilla lose to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, the leaders will have the chance to open up an 11-point gap at the top.

"We have good feelings," Ancelotti said. "I have all players available and all the ingredients to play a good game.

"Mallorca will give their utmost. Games in LaLiga tell you there's a lot of balance. There's a long way to go and everyone will give everything."

Lionel Messi and Neymar were booed by some Paris Saint-Germain fans during the first half of Sunday's Ligue 1 match with Bordeaux.

Supporters made their displeasure clear towards the star duo following the Champions League exit to Real Madrid this week.

Neymar set up Kylian Mbappe to score at the Santiago Bernabeu and give PSG a 2-0 aggregate lead, but a collapse during the final half-hour saw Madrid triumph 3-1 in the last-16 second leg and 3-2 in the tie thanks to Karim Benzema's hat-trick.

Neither Messi nor Neymar was able to inspire PSG to a comeback as Mauricio Pochettino's side failed once more in their quest to win Europe's biggest prize.

The defeat prompted further speculation over the future of Mbappe and, according to some reports in Spain, the France star has now signed an agreement to join Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the season.

However, Mbappe's early touches against Bordeaux were generally met with cheers from the home fans and it was his strike that gave them the lead 24 minutes in after Messi found Georginio Wijnaldum.

Kylian Mbappe looks set to end one of the biggest transfer sagas of recent seasons by penning his deal with Real Madrid next week.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker will reportedly move to Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer at the end of the season.

It will mark the end of a lengthy pursuit by Los Blancos, despite the Ligue 1 club's efforts to keep their star man.

 

TOP STORY - MADRID CLOSING IN ON MBAPPE

Mbappe will confirm his future in a matter of days by putting pen to paper on a contract with Real Madrid, claims Marca.

The France international was pursued by Los Blancos last year, but instead remained with Paris Saint-Germain to see out the rest of his contract.

That expires at the end of this campaign, and despite PSG's resistance, the forward will confirm his future at Santiago Bernabeu with a free move before the month is up.

ROUND-UP

- Manchester City have locked a deal in place for the capture of Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland, according to the Daily Mail. City look to have beaten off several European rivals for the Leeds-born Norway international, and are now set to discuss personal terms.

- Scotland international Kieran Tierney is set to be the subject of a move from Madrid, claims 90min. The Arsenal star has helped form the bedrock of a Gunners revival this term and his performances have not gone under-the-radar when it comes to Los Blancos and their interest.

- Antonio Conte is willing to consider an extension at Tottenham, providing the club can show that they have "vision", says the Guardian. The Italian has endured a topsy-turvy tenure so far in north London, but remains one of the most respected coaches in the game.

- Crystal Palace star Conor Gallagher is unsure where his future lies following his success on loan at Selhurst Park this season, according to ESPN. The Chelsea man is with the Eagles on a year-long deal, and has picked up England honours during his tenure.

- Atletico Madrid are thinking about a move for Barcelona's Sergi Roberto. According to Fichajes, the midfielder is frustrated at his lack of consistent game-time and LaLiga's champions could swoop for him.

As soon as the December draw for the Champions League round-of-16 threw out Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, all eyes were on a certain French striker.

And for a long time Kylian Mbappe looked set to be the difference-maker between two European giants who are also in a tug-of-war for the forward's future.

His excellent goal in the first leg at the Parc des Princes was decisive then, and he terrorised Los Blancos further in Madrid.

But almost out of nowhere the tie was turned on its head, with Karim Benzema once again proving his master status with a truly exceptional display of ruthlessness as Madrid won 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to secure their passage to the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate.

This was anything but predictable. After all, the tie was all set up perfectly for 'The Narrative' to settle things in this clash of titans.

For months, maybe years, Madrid have flirted with the idea of bringing Mbappe to the Spanish capital, even going as far as submitting huge bids for him last August.

Carlo Ancelotti is asked about him at pretty much every pre-match news conference, such is the obsession in the Spanish press, but PSG's resolve in August seemed to be paying dividends just over six months later, with Mbappe crucial last time and in the mood here.

Ahead of the trip to Madrid, PSG communicated how the Frenchman was a doubt due to a training knock. Whether that was the truth or subterfuge can only be confirmed by Mauricio Pochettino, but one thing's for certain, Mbappe looked as sharp as ever.

The warning signs were there – twice – inside the first 13 minutes. On both occasions, Mbappe managed to get in behind Madrid's riskily high defence, but he let the hosts off the hook each time.

Despite worrying signs for Madrid, at no point did you expect a tactical change from Ancelotti given Madrid's desperate need to get at least one goal.

As such, the Mbappe 'cheatcode' was seemingly always going to be a possibility for PSG as long as the other 10 remained focused. For all the obsession over tactics, Pochettino's approach seemed to resemble that of millions of FIFA video game players from down the years: kick the ball beyond the defence for the really, really fast chap.

And that was exactly how the breakthrough came. PSG defended a corner and Neymar picked up possession deep inside his own half. Mbappe was already on the charge and the Brazilian clipped a first-time ball over Dani Carvajal.

Mbappe surged forward, shaped to curl his shot around Eder Militao and then picked out the near corner instead, usurping Zlatan Ibrahimovic as PSG's all-time leading scorer in the process.

The offside flag then cruelly, but crucially correctly, denied Mbappe what would have gone down as a classic Champions League goal early in the second, latching on to a throughball and beating Thibaut Courtois with an exquisite stepover before he'd even touched the ball and slotting into an empty net.

And almost instantly PSG's performance went stunningly awry.

Gianluigi Donnarumma's dawdling on the ball gifted Madrid an equaliser as Benzema charged down his clearance and then stabbed in from Vinicius Junior's cut-back.

Suddenly Madrid were like a pack of rabid wolves. Donnarumma's hesitancy and indecision began to overcome the rest of his back four, with PSG almost in a flash going from in control to utterly terrified.

Just 15 minutes later, 1-1 turned into 2-1, with Luka Modric doing brilliantly in midfield to pick out Vinicius, who had the presence of mind to patiently wait for the Croatian to appear on the edge of the box, and he slotted the ball through to Benzema to steer home.

Then, within seconds of PSG restarting the game, Marquinhos panicked in his own area, flicking the ball into the path of Benzema who unleashed an impossibly cool finish into the bottom-right corner, picking it out with the outside of his foot without breaking stride.

It sparked bedlam in the stands of the Santiago Bernabeu as it quickly dawned on the Madrid faithful and players that the tie was theirs. While PSG had the best part of 15 minutes to fight back, their mystifying lack of composure since the hour mark had already sapped them of belief.

Mbappe looked on, having gone from unstoppable to helpless in the space of just a few second-half minutes.

Of course, a key difference between the goalscorers was their respective supporting casts. While Lionel Messi, Marco Verratti and Neymar looked impressive in the first half, they were nowhere to be seen after half-time.

Madrid, on the other hand, had already looked a threat with Vinicius up top alongside Benzema. The Brazilian excelled where his compatriot Neymar could not – the young winger was relentless, working exceptionally hard throughout to ensure Benzema didn't have to do it alone, even if the headlines will suggest it was all him.

There is a school of thought that this tie will ultimately determine where Mbappe ends up next season. On the evidence of this, a front three of him, Benzema and Vinicius will be mouthwatering.

Mbappe has so far been very calm and unequivocal when asked about his future, but Madrid have given him a glimpse of what awaits.

Karim Benzema scored a sensational hat-trick as Real Madrid fought back to beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 on Wednesday and secure a scarcely believable 3-2 aggregate victory in their Champions League last-16 tie.

Kylian Mbappe, who is widely expected to join Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the season, gave PSG a two-goal lead in the tie with a breakaway goal late in the first half – a goal that moved him clear of Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the Ligue 1 side's second all-time top scorer with 157 goals.

Benzema led a stirring Los Blancos fightback in the second half, though, grabbing his first in the 61st minute after a big mistake from Gianluigi Donnarumma.

He then sealed their progress into the quarter-finals with two goals in the space of two minutes to leave Mauricio Pochettino's side stunned.

Kylian Mbappe moved beyond Zlatan Ibrahimovic to go second outright on the list of Paris Saint-Germain's leading all-time goalscorers when he struck against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

The France striker took his tally to 157 with a cool finish in the second leg of PSG's Champions League last-16 clash against Los Blancos. 

It was the prolific 23-year-old's 25th goal of the season in all competitions and means he has bettered Ibrahimovic's haul of 156 during his time in the French capital.

Edinson Cavani is the only player to have scored more goals for PSG, the Uruguay international finding the back of the net 200 times.

Mbappe has now netted 44 goals for the club in the Champions League, as well as 105 in Ligue 1, with the remainder coming in domestic cup competitions.

Kylian Mbappe has overcome a training injury to be named in Paris Saint-Germain's starting XI to face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

World Cup winner Mbappe suffered a knock on Monday as PSG prepared to defend their 1-0 aggregate lead in the last-16 second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

PSG said the following day that Mbappe's progress had been "reassuring", with a further assessment to be made closer to kick-off after travelling to Madrid.

He then took part in a training session at the Bernabeu on Wednesday and was later confirmed to be leading the line for PSG.

Mbappe was the star of the show and scored the decisive goal in the first leg at the Parc des Princes last month.

He has been strongly linked with a move to Madrid at the end of the season, with his PSG contract set to expire in June.

Mbappe is joined in attack by Neymar and Lionel Messi, who has not scored in 695 minutes against Los Blancos in all competitions.

Madrid named their starting XI early.

While there were few surprises, Carlo Ancelotti is without the suspended Casemiro and Ferland Mendy, meaning Federico Valverde and Nacho Fernandez deputise in their respective places.

Luka Modric hopes Kylian Mbappe will join him at Real Madrid next season, as speculation continues over the forward's future.

Mbappe's contract expires at the end of June and the Paris Saint-Germain forward continues to be strongly linked with a move to Madrid.

The prolific 23-year-old has been included in PSG's squad to face Los Blancos in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday and looks set to play despite suffering a knock in training on Monday.

Mbappe was the difference in the first leg, scoring a stunning late winner to give PSG a 1-0 advantage in the tie after Lionel Messi had seen a penalty saved by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Modric is also coming towards the end of his contract but has spoken of his desire to extend his stay with LaLiga leaders Madrid, and the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner says any player in the world would want Mbappe as a team-mate.

"We want to play with great players, Kylian is one of those. Of course, I'd like to play with him, let's see," the midfielder told reporters.

"It's difficult to talk about other players, clubs get angry, can interpret it badly, but I don't think a player exists that doesn't want him on their team."

Mbappe has been directly involved in 18 goals in his last 13 appearances in the Champions League, scoring 13 goals and assisting a further five.

His winning strike in the first leg was his latest goal in the competition to date, coming after 93 minutes and 14 seconds.

A big part of PSG's resolve to keep Mbappe despite bids from Madrid last year was their desire to win the Champions League.

However, PSG have been eliminated from three of their eight Champions League knockout ties when winning the first leg – only Barcelona (four) and Madrid (six) have been knocked out in this fashion more often.

Mauricio Pochettino is optimistic Kylian Mbappe will be fully fit to face Real Madrid on Wednesday and does not expect the forward to be affected by "external factors".

Mbappe took a knock in training on Monday, but has been included in the squad for the second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie at Santiago Bernabeu.

The France international continues to be strongly linked with a move to Madrid when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Pochettino says Mbappe, who scored the only goal in the first leg, has recovered well from the kick he took this week and does not believe speculation over his future will have any impact on his performance in such a huge game.

The PSG head coach told reporters on Tuesday: "Of course we have spoken. Mbappe is doing well.

"He was in pain from a kick and he let out a yelp of pain, but a few hours later he felt better and was calm about it. He was able to walk normally – hopefully he can train normally after this press conference."

Asked how Mbappe would handle the media circus, he added: "Sometimes things are too intense and exaggerated. Internally we are very calm and we are very clear about things.

"Kylian Mbappe is a mature player, despite still being young. He wants to play football as well as he can for the club that he plays for.

"I have no doubt that Kylian's performances will have nothing to do with the external factors. He always stays calm."

Pochettino says the Ligue 1 leaders will take a positive approach as they attempt to seal their place in the quarter-finals.

He said: "It will be a difficult game. The concentration will [need to] be absolute.

"The best way to defend a score for a team like PSG is to attack and dominate. We did that at the Parcs des Princes but on Wednesday, it will be more complicated.

"And not just because of injuries. It's like a final and the match will require us to be very demanding. We have to approach the second leg like the first leg."

Kylian Mbappe has been included in the Paris Saint-Germain squad for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Real Madrid.

The France star struck a late goal in Paris to give PSG a 1-0 lead heading into the reverse fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Having sat out the Ligue 1 defeat to Nice due to suspension, Mbappe suffered a knock during training on Monday, putting his involvement against Madrid in doubt.

PSG issued an update on Tuesday to say the latest checks on Mbappe's injury were again "reassuring" and that a further assessment would be made closer to kick-off.

Sergio Ramos continues to be unavailable but PSG said the defender will travel with the squad for the meeting with his old club.

Ander Herrera is out as the midfielder has conjunctivitis.

In many ways, patience isn't a virtue we can truthfully say is embraced in modern football, whether that's with respect to managers or players.

When someone's level dips, people – or specifically social media trolls – are quick to brandish them "frauds" or "finished" like rabid animals sated by black-or-white so-called "hot takes".

If there's one player on the planet who deserves that patience, it's surely Lionel Messi. But so accustomed has the world become to his usually incomparable excellence that any opportunity to humanise him with blinkered criticism was going to be gobbled up by those who are – bizarrely – so eager for him to fail.

While that's not to say Messi is above criticism, and there have certainly been times this season when questions were fairly asked of his performances, we have to keep in mind a host of extenuating circumstances.

For one, a 34-year-old not being quite as good as he was at 30 is perfectly normal. Then you have to consider he had no pre-season, had major upheaval in his life with the move from Barcelona and then struggled with fitness in the early weeks of the season.

But ahead of a Champions League last-16 second-leg trip to his old nemeses, Real Madrid, Messi appears in fine shape and will no doubt be eager to end his 695-minute goalless run against Los Blancos.

So, if he has been effective lately, what does the criticism of him relate to? And is Messi truly on a downward spiral?

The elephant in the room

Let's get this out of the way nice and early. Yes, it's unequivocal that Messi's output in front of goal is not what we're used to seeing from him.

He has scored just twice in Ligue 1 this season, which admittedly is absurd when you consider he's not failed to reach double figures for league goals since 2005-06 when he netted six times in 17 games.

But let's not forget, for the majority of his Barcelona career, their teams were built around him and, perhaps most importantly, many of those sides were exceptional. Are PSG?

Messi is unquestionably proving wasteful in front of goal, with this the first season since Opta began collecting expected goals (xG) data (2010-11) that he has underperformed in relation to that metric.

So far across all competitions in 2021-22, Messi averages 0.44 non-penalty (np) xG every 90 minutes, but his actual np goals output is 0.23.

There's no argument here – Messi should be scoring more than he has based on the quality of the chances that have fallen his way, but by no means does that mean he's been a liability.

Still creator in chief

While Messi may not be posting the kind of figures in front of goal that we are used to seeing from him, it's worth highlighting how he remains a key contributor on the creative side for PSG.

In fact, if he maintains his 2.65 chances created every 90 minutes (all competitions) for the remainder of the season, it will be his third-most productive campaign ever in that regard.

There is plenty of value in the chances he's creating as well. On a per-90 basis, Messi's expected assists (xA) is 0.38 this season, only a slight reduction on the past two seasons (0.43 and 0.42) when, let's remember, he was playing in a Barca team built entirely around him.

As such, his haul of 10 assists in Ligue 1 has him level at the top of the chart with Kylian Mbappe despite playing 698 fewer minutes than his team-mate.

Further to that, he continues to play an influential role in PSG's build-up play as well and has been particularly effective in recent weeks.

Since February 1, Messi (7.7) comes second to Mbappe (9.2) for the most shot-ending sequence involvements in Ligue 1 (minimum 180 minutes played). But when you only consider passages where they have not had the shot, Messi (6.4) is only behind Marco Verratti (7.0), demonstrating just how involved he is in their general build-up play.

Working in Mbappe's shadow

Mbappe has, of course, been at the fore of PSG's Ligue 1 title surge and progress in the Champions League. With 38 goals involvements, at a rate of one every 74.5 minutes, it's fair to say he has been the one consistently lethal weapon in their star-studded attacking arsenal.

Neymar has been in and out of the team this season due to injury, while Messi's issues we have already gone over. Clearly, if PSG are successful at home – seemingly a certainty – and in Europe, Mbappe, the scorer of their excellent winner in the first leg against Madrid, will have been the catalyst.

But we shouldn't gloss over what Messi has contributed.

His record of 0.82 expected goal involvements per 90 minutes (all comps) is only marginally lower than Mbappe's (0.87). For the latter, this looks like to be his finest individual campaign to date – yet Messi, criticised by some for a perceived lack of output, is operating at a similar level of effectiveness.

Of course, the difference is that Mbappe is proving far more clinical in those goalscoring opportunities, but don't forget it was only last season that Messi scored 38 times in a fading Barca side. That ability doesn't vanish overnight.

It would be far fairer to judge him next season when he will presumably have a proper pre-season under his belt.

Patience. If anyone should be afforded the benefit of the doubt during a settling-in period, it's Messi.

Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United may be coming to a premature end.

The Portuguese forward has struggled since Ralf Rangnick's arrival as interim manager in December.

United are also battling to finish in the Premier League's top four.

TOP STORY - RONALDO COURTS MOVE TO MESSI'S PSG

FootballTransfers claims that Ronaldo has decided that he will leave Manchester United if they do not qualify for the Champions League, with a move to join Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain on his agenda.

Speculation about Ronaldo's future at Old Trafford ramped up after he missed Sunday's Manchester derby due to a hip flexor injury and flew to Portugal.

The report that claims that Ronaldo returning to Juventus has been ruled out, along with his original Portuguese club Sporting CP, with the five-time Ballon d'Or courting a move to Paris.

 

ROUND-UP

- Defensa Central reports that Newcastle United have commenced talks with Real Madrid over a move for 31-year-old ex-Chelsea forward Eden Hazard who has had an underwhelming spell with Los Blancos.

- Manchester United's Marcus Rashford has a list of clubs circling for his services with Arsenal, Newcastle and West Ham all interested, according to 90Min.

- The Mail claims that PSG will make a move for Rashford too, should Kylian Mbappe leave the French capital to join Madrid.

- Manchester City and Madrid are in the lead to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland ahead of Bayern Munich and Barcelona claims The Athletic.

- RB Leipzig midfielder Christopher Nkunku is being tracked by Chelsea and Man City according to FootMercato.

Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are the natural heirs Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, so says Gonzalo Higuain.

Both players have been linked with moves to Real Madrid, and Mbappe recently scored a superb solo goal to give Paris Saint-Germain a 1-0 lead over Los Blancos in their Champions League round-of-16 tie.

Madrid had multiple bids for Mbappe turned down in August. The 23-year-old will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Reports had suggested that Mbappe could miss Wednesday's return leg in Spain after suffering a knock in training, but with PSG hoping that he will be fit for the trip, former Madrid forward Higuain claims the forward is one of the two heirs apparent to Messi and Ronaldo.

The Inter Miami forward, who scored 107 goals in 190 LaLiga appearances for Madrid between 2007 and 2013, also believes Mbappe's arrival could take his old club back "to the top" of European football.

"[Mbappe] has all the characteristics," Higuain told Stats Perform.

"I believe that Leo and Cristiano at some point will stop playing, because life is like that, and Mbappe and Haaland will be their successors. 

"Of course, Mbappe has all the characteristics to take Real Madrid to the top."

Mbappe recently moved level with Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the joint-second highest goalscorer in PSG's history, with his tally of 156 goals for the French giants bettered only by Edinson Cavani, who scored 200 goals for the club.

Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti called Mbappe "unstoppable" after he downed the Spanish giants at the Parc des Princes last month.

PSG sporting director Leonardo, meanwhile, recently referred to Mbappe as the "best player in the world today", hinting the in-demand striker could yet elect to remain in the French capital.

Mbappe was suspended for PSG's 1-0 Ligue 1 loss to Nice last time out, and is the only player in the French top flight to have reached double figures for both goals and assists this season, with his 24 goal contributions (14 goals, 10 assists) helping the Parisians to a 13-point lead at the summit. 

Haaland, meanwhile, is one of the most prolific forwards in European football, and it has been reported that Madrid and Manchester City are leading the chase for the 21-year-old.

Since making his debut for Borussia Dortmund in January 2020, the Norway international has netted 80 times in all competitions, a tally which ranks behind that of only Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (112) in the same timeframe of players in Europe's big five leagues.

Kylian Mbappe suffered a knock to his right foot in training on Monday, though Paris Saint-Germain suggested the initial prognosis was positive.

Mbappe did not feature against Nice at the weekend due to a domestic suspension, but was set to be crucial once again as PSG go up against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old's brilliant late goal separated the sides in the first leg, with PSG holding a 1-0 aggregate advantage heading to the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, reports emerged on Monday that Mbappe had suffered an injury in training, potentially casting doubt over his participation.

PSG have now confirmed those reports were correct, but added that the first examination of the forward's problem was not overly concerning, though a further update would be made on Tuesday.

A statement released on PSG's official website read: "Kylian Mbappe received a knock on his right foot in training today. He has undergone treatment this afternoon.

"The medical tests are reassuring and another update will be made in 24 hours."

PSG's medical update also revealed that Sergio Ramos is still training individually and will be doing so until the end of the week.

Ander Herrera, meanwhile, is also training alone and is continuing treatment for conjunctivitis. He will resume training with the team towards the end of the week.

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