Boost for PSG as Neymar, Mbappe & Kean in squad to face Monaco

Tom Webber

Boost for PSG as Neymar, Mbappe & Kean in squad to face Monaco image

Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Moise Kean have been included in the Paris Saint-Germain squad for the Ligue 1 meeting with Monaco on Friday.

A groin injury forced Neymar to miss PSG's previous three games and he was released from Brazil duty after it was deemed he would not be ready to feature in their World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on Tuesday.

Kean sustained a muscular problem while representing Italy during the international break, and Mbappe made his return for France on Tuesday after suffering a hamstring issue against Nantes on October 31.

The trio will all be available to Thomas Tuchel when the Ligue 1 champions take on Monaco at the Stade Louis II, though.

Tuchel said on Thursday: "Kylian has a very positive mindset. There was good communication between us and the France national team, so we know exactly what they did with him in training.

"So, that is all fine. He had a full training session with us [on Wednesday]. That was very good, so I'm very confident that he can play. We will have to decide how many minutes he will get, but he feels fit.

"With Neymar, it is a bit different because he didn't play for Brazil. He has been back for a few days.

"He started training [on Wednesday] but didn't do the full training session. He just took part in the first part, so we will step that up. We will do a bit more.

"I am confident that he might be able to play some minutes, but we will have to wait and see how he reacts in training."

PSG have struggled with injuries throughout the 2020-21 season and will continue to be without Marco Verratti, Mauro Icardi, Julian Draxler, Idrissa Gueye, Thilo Kehrer and Juan Bernat.

Ander Herrera will also sit out the trip to Monaco after taking a blow to his calf during a training session on Thursday.

Tuchel's side are currently five points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table although their Champions League progression is anything but certain, with PSG currently in third place in Group H, behind both Manchester United and RB Leipzig.

Tom Webber