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PSG will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid on Wednesday in the concluding leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. The Parisians have a 1-0 lead from the first leg in Paris and are determined to progress to the next round.
Meanwhile, Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has branded Lionel Messi a ‘bottler’. Elsewhere, the Parisians are interested in a Manchester City star.
On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on 9th March 2022:
Lionel Messi labelled a 'bottler' by Steve Nicol
Steve Nicol has branded Lionel Messi a ‘bottler’. Nevertheless, the Argentinean will hope to guide PSG to the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday.
However, he has scored five of his seven PSG goals this season in the continental competition. Messi missed a penalty in the first leg in Paris, though. The 34-year-old has not enjoyed much success in recent years in the tournament.
Messi will look to change that this season and help the Parisians win the tournament for the first time. However, speaking ahead of the Parisians' game in Madrid, Nicol said that the French giants are not the favourites against Real Madrid.
“Well after the first leg, I was absolutely, 100 per cent, in the PSG camp. Because I was thinking 'hold on, they have just battered Real Madrid; Real Madrid aren't going to have Casemiro; they're not going to have (Ferland) Mend;, what are they going to do; are they going to have to play Marcelo?’,” said Nicol.
He continued:
“But as time's gone by, and I've thought about it, this PSG side are a bunch of bottle merchants. They've basically bottled it most of the time. So, I'm going to go with Real Madrid. They haven't been at their very best, but they're getting it done."
Nicol took the opportunity to remind everyone that Messi has struggled in the tournament in recent years.
“Do you want to go back year after year of all the things, and then you're going to throw Messi at me? Hold on a second; was Messi not playing for Barcelona when they got mullered against Liverpool at Anfield? Seriously. It's away from home; it's in Madrid, same as Barcelona were away at Anfield, and Messi did absolutely nothing in that game,” said Nicol.
He added:
"I'm just telling you; he's been part of bottling it; PSG have bottled it in the Champions League so far pretty much every time. You can go through that PSG side, and every one of them pretty much has been involved in bottling it. How many times have PSG won the Champions League? I rest my case."
The Parisians will have their task cut out at the Bernabeu despite holding a slender first leg advantage. It remains to be seen if that build on that lead and dump out the record winners from the competition.
PSG interested in Riyad Mahrez
The Parisians are interested in Riyad Mahrez, according to PSG Talk via Foot Mercato. The Algerian has caught the eye with a string of assured performances for Manchester City. He has netted 21 times across competitions this season.
However, his current contract expires next summer, and talks of an extension have failed to reach a conclusive end. The Parisians are plotting to take the player to the Parc des Princes.
The Ligue 1 giants have identified the 31-year-old Mahrez as an able replacement for Angel Di Maria, who could leave Paris in the summer. However, they could face competition from Chelsea for Mahrez's signature. The Algerian could be available for €30-40 million.
Carlo Ancelotti wary of Parisians
Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti insists Kylian Mbappe is not the only threat in the Parisians team. The Frenchman is among the finest attackers in the world right now. However, the Italian said that it would be unwise for Madrid to put in all their efforts to stop Mbappe when there are other stars in the opposition.
“We have a plan not only for Mbappe, but also for Neymar, Messi and all of PSG's top players. The plan is to play as a block, with the ball and without the ball, to put in intensity, to endure the 90 minutes, and to play a complete game,” said Ancelotti.
The Italian continued:
"It has to be an intelligent game; we don't have to go crazy. We have to win the game. We don't have to score many goals; we just have to win it. You can go ahead immediately or in the last minute; the important thing is to keep the game alive and play with intensity."
The Frenchman has been in fine form this season, bagging 24 goals and 17 assists across competitions. Mbappe was the difference between the two teams in the first leg in Paris three weeks ago, netting a 94th-minute winner. He'll look to replicate the same at the home of the club he is widely tipped to join this summer.
