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#3 Danilo Pereira (PSG)
Portuguese midfielder Danilo, who arrived on loan from FC Porto this summer, made an instant impression at PSG with a strong debut performance against Manchester United in the Champions League when some of his more illustrious teammates failed.
However, injuries to key players have meant that Thomas Tuchel has had to field Danilo at centre-back, a position he hasn't played in since his youth days. It must be all the more disconcerting for the Portuguese midfielder that Marquinhos has played in midfield during this period.
Nevertheless, Danilo has not complained, and with PSG keeping three clean sheets in as many games he has played as a defender, the player has certainly answered Thomas Tuchel's call. With Leipzig arguably the best attacking opposition he will come up against as a defender, Danilo will need to be on his toes.
#2 Dayot Upamecano (Leipzig)
RB Leipzig are very much aware that Dayot Upamecano is being chased by a plethora of top European clubs like Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
The player has extended his contract at Leipzig till 2023. But with his release clause being reportedly €50 million, the 22-year-old Frenchman might be playing his final season with Leipzig.
However, Upamecano certainly did not look like a €50 million defender against Manchester United last week, as Marcus Rashford embarrassed him multiple times in a game the Reds won 5-0.
Upamecano also played the full 90 minutes against Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend but looked leggy and made quite a few mistakes as his side fell to a 1-0 defeat.
Questions are being asked of Upamecano, and with PSG's first-choice attacking trio all injured, the onus will be on the player to respond with a performance that would be more akin with his price tag.
#1 Angel di Maria (PSG)
In the absence of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr. and Mauro Icardi, PSG will look at Angel di Maria to step up in the attacking third, especially given their lack of options up front.
Di Maria normally operates in the middle of the park for Thomas Tuchel but may occupy a more advanced role against Leipzig. He's clearly the type of player that makes the Parisians tick. In the absence of PSG's headline-grabbing attacking trio, Di Maria's performance could be all the more crucial against Leipzig.
Di Maria turned in a scintillating performance against Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League semi-final last season, where he scored a goal and grabbed an assist. Tuchel will need the Argentinian to deliver a similar performance in Germany, especially as this game could be pivotal in deciding who qualifies for the knockout round from the group.
