HARRY MAGUIRE DID not travel with the Manchester United squad for tomorrow’s Champions League Group H opener away to Paris Saint-Germain as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed Bruno Fernandes will captain the visitors in the French capital.
“We’re a little bit depleted but we’ve got more than enough players,” said Solskjaer, who is without Maguire, Mason Greenwood, Eric Bailly, Jesse Lingard and new signing Edinson Cavani for the game.
“We hope that the players won’t be away for too long. Edinson needs a few more days training before maybe we can think about the weekend, hopefully Harry can and Mason as well but we’re not sure about that,” added the United manager of the players’ prospects of being back to face Chelsea on Saturday.
United are returning to the Champions League this season after missing out in the last campaign. However Tuesday’s clash brings back memories of the sides’ encounter in the last 16 in 2018/19, when Solskjaer’s team won thanks to a dramatic late penalty in the second leg at the Parc des Princes.
PSG will have to do without midfield duo Marco Verratti and Leandro Paredes for the clash. But coach Thomas Tuchel suggests that captain Marquinhos could return.
Verratti suffered a leg muscle injury on international duty with Italy and could be sidelined for up to three weeks, sports daily L’Equipe reported. Paredes injury a thigh muscle playing in Friday’s 4-0 win at Nimes in Ligue 1.
In addition, Argentina striker Mauro Icardi is absent with a knee problem, while the defensive pair of Thilo Kehrer and Juan Bernat are also on the sidelines.
However, speaking to reporters on Monday, Tuchel said Brazil centre-back Marquinhos and Germany’s Julian Draxler had been back in training.
“I hope that they will be able to play for us tomorrow,” said Tuchel, who also has Portugal midfielder Danilo Pereira available for the first time after arriving on loan from Porto.
He was unable to feature against Nimes after having to isolate due to being in contact with international colleague Cristiano Ronaldo, who tested positive for Covid-19.
Angel Di Maria is also free from a domestic suspension as last season’s Champions League runners-up take on the side who dumped them out of the competition in the last 16 in 2018/19.
The sides are in Group H alongside RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir.
