Paris Saint-Germain have Neymar back on the bench for tonight’s mammoth Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.
The two European giants get this season’s knockout stage underway with their first-leg meeting in Paris.
Neymar has not featured for the Ligue 1 leaders since suffering an ankle injury back in late November but has returned to training, though whether he is ready to start remains to be seen.
However, there will be no reunion with his former side for Sergio Ramos, who is nursing a calf injury. The centre-back won the Champions League four times during his illustrious career at the Bernabeu but has made just five appearances since swapping the Spanish capital for the French one last summer amid a spate of fitness issues.
Meanwhile, PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino has backed Lionel Messi to once again deliver his best form in Europe, having scored five times in five matches during the group stage.
“Messi is in good shape and really looking forward to the game. In matches like this his experience is very important and he can play a fundamental role in transmitting that to his team-mates,” Pochettino said.
PSG starting XI: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Mendes, Danilo, Paredes, Verratti, Mbappe, Messi, Di Maria.
