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The first leg match of the UEFA Champions League's round of 16 clash between Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford gave football fans a heart-pumping, adrenaline-filled action. In a hostile environment, PSG managed to score two goals.
United played very well but they might have underestimated their opponents who were without their top stars Neymar and Edinson Cavani. Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe proved that they don't need top players to be on their side always.
It was an unpredictable match that favoured the away team. The story is not over yet. The Red Devils are set to face off against The Parisians in the second leg on March. The match would take place in Parc des Princes.
Apart from having a two-goal deficit, here are the possible reasons why the Red Devils won't be able to beat PSG in the return leg.
Also see : Womens World Cup Bracket, Copa America Standings, Gold Cup Standings
#1 The absence of Paul Pogba
The wins and loses of a team depend on its game changers. One goal in the least expected fraction of second can be a difference between win and loss. Paul Pogba is such a game changer that he can score a goal or create it when the opposing teams least expect it.
Pogba has fared really well in the 2018-19 English Premier League season since Jose Mourinho left the team and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer arrived. As of now, the French midfielder has notched up 11 goals in the season. He has two crucial Champions League goals under his belt this season. He also has a tackle success of 63 percent.
Unfortunately, the team's lucky charm Pogba received a red card during the first leg against PSG. There is every reason to believe that Pogba's absence in the second leg would affect Manchester United's chances of a comeback.
#2 Paris Saint Germain scoring without Neymar and Cavani
Before the start of their first leg clash against Manchester United, PSG was expected to lose. This was because of the team going into the game without their marquee talents Neymar and Edinson Cavani, who got injured.
Neymar has a huge brand value. He was bought by PSG for a world record fee of 222 million euros from Barcelona. A team going this extent to get a player in their squad speaks a lot about him. Neymar has been one among the successful attackers in the recent past and has scored 20 goals in 23 games in all competitions this campaign.
Cavani had also been an important player in their 2018/19 season. As of this writing, Cavani has 17 Ligue 1 goals in the season. The absence of these two players was expected to put heavy pressure on the team but they coped up very well. Cavani has scored 22 goals in 26 matches in all competitions.
Mbappe proved to be trustworthy even without the big names to support him and the veteran Angel Di Maria played with fire against his former team. Thus, the Paris-based team got a two-goal lead against Manchester United.
#3 The home ground advantage for PSG
Football may not be a game like Cricket where pitches play a role in the match. However, the influence of home ground on a team is an undeniable fact. Paris Saint-Germain will be playing the second leg match in conditions that they have been accustomed to.
Their players obviously have more experience of playing in Parc des Princes. The support of the crowd will undoubtedly help PSG's first minutes of action and boost their confidence. PSG have played 20 home games in all competitions this season and only lost to Guingamp 2-1 in the Coupe de la Ligue quarterfinals.
Paris Saint-Germain coped well in the hostile Old Trafford but the same cannot be said of Manchester United. Even if they do not get intimidated due to hostility still they need razor-sharp focus and miracle moments to get ahead of PSG and reach the quarterfinals.
Do you believe Manchester United will not be able to come back against PSG? Let us know in the comments section below.
