‘Waiting for extraordinary Messi performance at Bernabeu’: Ex-Barcelona player feels Madrid comeback unlikely vs PSG

Carlo Ancelotti had admitted that Real Madrid performed “very badly” and felt the “criticism was justified” after their Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain last month. Madrid have since been the better side, winning all their three league matches while PSG went down twice in as many matches despite the side starting with Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Angel Di Maria as their attacking trident. However, former Barcelona midfielder Jofre Mateu feels that a Madrid comeback at home, in the second leg of the round-of-16 clash, is unlikely.

Kylian Mbappe had scored the winner in the 94th minute for PSG at the Parc des Princes, leaving Madrid hoping for a revival at home this week. However, Los Blancos will be without their two key players – Casemiro and Ferland Mendy – in the crucial tie after they picked up a yellow card in Paris. And Mateu feels that their absence will be an important test for Madrid who will be up against the “fast players” of the PSG side. Besides, the availability of Toni Kroos, who had picked up a minor injury, still remains uncertain.

“No, no there is a possibility for sure,” the 42-year-old replied to a query posed by Hindustan Times during a virtual press conference ahead of the second leg of the Champion League meeting.

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“Everyone is talking about the mystics of Bernabeu, there will be clapping and chants…so Real Madrid have a chance for sure. But it is a perfect scenario for PSG and a very important test for Real Madrid who will be without Casemiro and Mendy and we still don’t know whether Toni Kroos will be there or not. So the French team is waiting for them with all their fast players, I do give Real Madrid a chance but a very short chance. It will not be easy for them but PSG are going to be the favourites,” he said.

If Kroos fails to recover, Fede Valverde and Luka Modric are likely to be Madrid’s central midfielders while Eduardo Camavinga, who put on a superb show against Real Sociedad the previous night, will be replacing Casemiro.

The March 9 clash will also hold a significant game for Argentine star Lionel Messi who will be back at the Bernabeu for the first time since he left Barcelona. And for the ardent fans of the modern-era great and the tensed Madridistas, Messi remains the most successful visiting player to have played at the Bernabeu. In his 19 visits to the venue, he has won 10 times, drawn thrice and lost six times while registering eight assists and scoring 15 goals – including a hat-trick and a record run of goals in five consecutive matches at the Bernabeu. And Mateu awaits another such “extraordinary performance” from Messi, but this time for PSG.

“We have seen how much criticism Messi has faced in Paris. And this match, is probably what Messi has been waiting for. In Madrid, at the Bernabeu, Messi plays really well and has some good memories. And I think with the advantage and without Casemiro, I am waiting for an extraordinary performance from Messi,” he said.

So are PSG the favourites for the Champions League?

“Absolutely,” Mateu replied, “Having Mbappe, Messi and Neymar up…and the way they showed against Real Madrid in the first match. So probably not the most favourite, but definitely in the top three.”

– Defence needs to be perfect for Salzburg –

In their two Champions League group-stage meetings in 2020, Salzburg were completely decimated with Bayern Munich scoring nine goals. However, the German club had managed to lead against Munich through the majority of their first-leg round-of-16 clash before Kingsley Coman found the equaliser.

Mateu believes that Salzburg were spot on with their defence in that game and need to emulate the same when they take on Munich at the Allianz Arena on March 9.

“Firstly the score is not showing how the match went. But I am looking forward to the next match. But for Salzburg, they made a huge improvement in the defensive aspect, you know. Because when you are up against Bayern Munich, that needs to be perfect and Salzburg were very conscious about that and hence performed really well. They should repeat it but they will now be facing Bayern in Munich and it is not going to be easy,” he said.

[Watch UEFA Champions League 2021-22 (Round 16 – 2nd Leg): Real Madrid vs PSG – LIVE on SONY TEN 2 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) & SONY TEN 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels on March 10, 2022, from 1:30 am IST.]

[Watch UEFA Champions League 2021-22 (Round 16 – 2nd Leg): Bayern vs Salzburg – LIVE on SONY TEN 1 (English) channels on March 9, 2022, from 1:30 am IST.]