Mbappe tests negative for coronavirus, PSG yet to decide Dortmund inclusion

Paris Saint-Germain will give Kylian Mbappe until Wednesday to prove his fitness for its clash with Borussia Dortmund.

Published : Mar 10, 2020 21:42 IST , PARIS

Kylian Mbappe's health update comes at a time when PSG needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg against Dortmund in Germany three weeks ago.
Kylian Mbappe's health update comes at a time when PSG needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg against Dortmund in Germany three weeks ago.
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Kylian Mbappe's health update comes at a time when PSG needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg against Dortmund in Germany three weeks ago.

Thomas Tuchel confirmed Paris Saint-Germain would wait until Wednesday to decide if the unwell Kylian Mbappe could face Borussia Dortmund, as a report said the star tested negative for coronavirus.

Mbappe is in doubt for the Champions League last-16 second leg after battling illness and L'Equipe reported on Tuesday the forward had returned a negative test for coronavirus.

Tuchel, whose side lost the first leg in Germany 2-1, said PSG would give Mbappe every chance to be fit, while Thiago Silva was set for a return from a hamstring injury.

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"Kylian Mbappe is sick. He has a sore throat and we will see if he comes to train a little this Tuesday evening, but he has not been with us for two days," the PSG coach said, via the club's website.

"We will wait and decide on Wednesday morning.

"Thiago Silva did all the training, so we will decide tomorrow if he plays or not, but he is with the group. All the others are there except Ander Herrera.

"We will make the final decisions regarding Kylian and Thiago tomorrow morning."

 

PSG's Ligue 1 clash against Strasbourg, scheduled for last Saturday, was postponed due to coronavirus, while its meeting with Dortmund in Paris will be played behind closed doors.

Tuchel felt not playing on Saturday worked against his team, but he remains confident of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.

"For me, it's negative because we flew there. We arrived in Strasbourg and we couldn't play," he said.

"That was our last test. A match on Saturday before the one on Wednesday. We had no problems including this game in our preparation. It's a pity.

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"It's still weird because we're now going to play without spectators and without our fans. In a game – especially a second leg – it's very important to create a special atmosphere to put pressure on our opponent and create tension.

"With coronavirus and now with Kylian Mbappe's [illness] a lot of things have happened. We have to think and adapt, but at the same time, it's a football game and we have to adapt.

"I really hope we can do it. We're confident we can do it. These changes are huge."

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