 |
| Kylian Mbappe of PSG during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 leg one match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and FC Bayern Muenchen (Bayern Munich, Bayern München) at Parc des Princes stadium on February 14, 2023 in Paris, France. |
Kylian Mbappe admitted he rushed back too soon to face Bayern Munich in PSG’s Champions League last 16 first-leg defeat on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old injured his thigh in PSG’s 3-1 win at Montpellier on February 1, and it was reported he would be sidelined for three weeks.
However, just 13 days later, the forward was a surprise inclusion in Christophe Galtier’s squad and was introduced from the bench at the Parc des Princes. Mbappe had a goal ruled out for offside on a frustrating evening for the French champions as Kingsley Coman returned to haunt his former side once again.
Speaking afterwards, Mbappe said: “I’m not 100% but I felt good enough to try to help my friends and play a little bit. Basically, I shouldn’t have come back.
“I tried everything, tried to put everything on my side so as not to have any regrets. I would have liked to play this game [in full].
“These are matches that we want to play, for which we work. Watching from the sidelines is very difficult. Today, I only had 30 minutes to give. I gave everything. I will try to recover to be as efficient as possible.”
Galtier’s side face a big challenge to overturn a 1-0 deficit in Bavaria, but Mbappe remains confident that a place in the quarter-finals is well within reach.
“Of course, there is still hope, it’s only the first leg over two games,” he added.
“We’ll work, get everyone back and try to start winning again so that we can go there and try to qualify.”
Mbappe has been in electrifying form this campaign after scoring 25 goals in 27 appearances across all competitions, including seven in as many outings in the Champions League.
However, PSG’s form has stuttered in recent weeks and this loss to Bayern means they have now lost their last three matches in all competitions.
PSG currently sit five points clear of Marseille at the top of Ligue 1 and turn their attention back to domestic matters against Lille on February 19.
