Champions League SF: Leipzig vs PSG - Injury force Veratti and Navas out of clash as both teams look to reach final for the first time
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| UEFA Champions League Semi-Final: RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain, Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal, 20:00. Photo of RB Leipzig: Lluis Gene/Getty Images. Photo of PSG: David Ramos/Getty Images |
RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain will both be attempting to reach the Champions League final for the first time in their respective histories when they lock horns in the semi-finals on Tuesday night.
PSG's 2-1 victory over Atalanta BC saw them book their spot in the final four, while Leipzig overcame Atletico Madrid 24 hours later to ensure that they would be present in the semi-finals.
Having only been founded in 2009, it is incredible that Leipzig, who were not a Bundesliga side until 2016, have managed to reach the semi-finals of this season's Champions League.
RB Leipzig shocked Atletico Madrid with a 2-1 win in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
It did appear that the quarter-final against Diego Simeone's side would be heading for extra-time, but Tyler Adams came off the bench to score a late winner for Leipzig, who are competing in just their second ever Champions League season.
PSG, meanwhile, are in the semi-finals of the European Cup for just the second time in their history; they previously reached this stage in 1995 but lost 3-0 to Italian giants AC Milan on aggregate.
PSG have struggled to make it past the quarter-final stage of the Champions League in recent years, while they were incredibly dumped out in the last-16 stage of last season's competition by Manchester United, losing on away goals following a 3-1 home defeat to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.
Leipzig's squad is in excellent shape at the moment, though, with Ibrahima Konate, who underwent hip surgery last month, their only confirmed absentee heading into the last-four contest.
Nagelsmann might select the same XI that started against Atletico, with Dani Olmo again operating in the position just behind Yussuf Poulsen.
RB Leipzig Manager Nagelsmann believes "training sessions" are "more important" for a team ⬇
PSG, meanwhile, are set to be without both key midfielder Marco Verratti and number one goalkeeper Keylor Navas for the last-four encounter.🗣️ #Nagelsmann:— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) August 17, 2020
"As a coach, you wish you had more of an influence during the game. But to be honest, it's not a huge impact. What's more important are the training sessions: that's where you're able to give your team as much advice as possible."
🔴⚪ #MissaoFinal #RBLPSG pic.twitter.com/jvx7ndxKMM
Verratti missed out against Atalanta with a calf problem and is still struggling, while Navas had to be replaced in the latter stages of the clash with the Italian side, having picked up a thigh issue, meaning that Sergio Rico is almost certain to feature between the sticks.
RB Leipzig Manager Nagelsmann wants the club's "journey" to go beyong the semis as he's prepared to give "110 per cent" against Paris Saint-Germain ⬇
Angel Di Maria was suspended against Atalanta but will return to the XI here; Layvin Kurzawa remains on the sidelines for Thomas Tuchel's side with a thigh injury, though.🗣️ Julian #Nagelsmann ahead of #RBLPSG:— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) August 17, 2020
"Simply having a good performance is not enough against PSG. You have to give it 110 per cent. We are obviously happy to have reached the semis, but don't want our journey to end here."
🔴⚪ #MissaoFinal pic.twitter.com/RrQn2i5BmR
Kylian Mbappe made his return from an ankle injury off the bench in the quarter-finals and should start on Tuesday night, while Leandro Paredes could get the nod over Ander Herrera and Idrissa Gueye in midfield.
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