Substitute Mbappe makes the difference to spark PSG rally

Lisbon (Reuters) – With Paris St Germain once again flirting with Champions League failure, Kylian Mbappe shrugged aside an ankle injury to come off the bench and turn the tide as they stunned Atalanta 2-1 to reach the semi-finals for only the second time.

Soccer Football – Champions League – Quarter Final – Atalanta v Paris St Germain – Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal – August 12, 2020 Paris St Germain’s Neymar and Kylian Mbappe celebrate after the match, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) David Ramos/Pool via REUTERS

Mbappe picked up the knock in July as PSG beat St Etienne in the French Cup final, a trophy they would gladly trade for a first Champions League triumph, and all eyes have been on the French World Cup winner ever since.

On Tuesday this week there was good news as Mbappe trained with the team and coach Thomas Tuchel said he would play a part.

“We are really pleased to have the possibility of finishing the match with Kylian on the pitch because that gives Neymar someone who likes playing alongside him,” Tuchel told reporters – and how right he was.

Brazilian Neymar had caused plenty of problems for Atalanta’s defence but his normally sharp finishing was missing as he struggled to find the spark that might bring Atalanta’s fairytale first run in the competition to an end.

PSG needed something more and it came on the hour when Mbappe took the place of midfielder Pablo Sarabia.

No sooner had the 21-year-old striker stripped off his track suit and entered the fray than he immediately provided the kind of attacking threat that the Parisians had been lacking.

Mbappe may not have been fully fit but all the elements that make him one of the world’s top players was quickly evident — dribbling with the ball at his feet, while his pace and movement opened up space for Neymar to attack as Atalanta, by now tiring fast, were pushed back into a desperate rearguard action.

After Brazilian defender Marquinhos had put PSG level in the final minute of normal time, Mbappe took it upon himself to avoid extra time as he served up a superb pass for substitute Eric Choupo-Moting to slot home the winner in stoppage time.

With Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta fading side barely managing a shot on target after the introduction of livewire Mbappe, the Italian coach was blunt in his assessment.

“The introduction of Mbappe was decisive,” he said. “There was not long to go and it seemed we had done it but when you play against some of the strongest in the world at a technical and athletic level then it becomes tough”.

Reporting by Simon Evans, additional reporting by Philip O’Connor