Former Manchester United defender Ashley Westwood feels PSG's returning strikers could land lethal blow on Spanish giants in Madrid tonight
Neymar
Former Manchester United defender Ashley Westwood reckons PSG will relish the opportunity to knock out a struggling Real Madrid when they travel to Spain for their UEFA Champions League encounter tonight.
PSG are on top of Group 'A' with 12 points and a draw will be enough for them to secure top spot in the group. Real Madrid, on the other hand, are second in the table with seven points from four matches and need a win at home tonight to stay in contention for the knockout stage. And Westwood, 43, an expert panelist with Sony Pictures Sports Network, is confident that Thomas Tuchel's side will be keen to deliver a telling blow to the Zinedine Zidane-managed Spaniards by repeating their first leg show tonight.
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PSG's Kylian Mbappe
'No pressure on PSG'
"PSG have qualified for the next round, so they don't have the pressure to win. But they will be thinking of knocking Real Madrid out. PSG won 3-0 in the first leg where Angel Di Maria scored a brace, and with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe returning fit, chances are they may play together. And with these two in the line-up PSG can get very dangerous," said Westwood, whose revolutionary ideas as coach saw him win the 2013-14 I-League with Bengaluru FC.
'Interesting contest'
Westwood, however, refused to count Real out especially at the Santiago Bernabeu. "But Real are a good side at home, so we have an interesting contest at hand," added Westwood, who is currently the director of football with Indian Super League side ATK. He felt Neymar's return from injury will play a crucial role in deciding how far the French champions will go in Europe.
Ashley Westwood
"Neymar played at the weekend and got substituted to keep him fresh for the Champions League. He has been injured since October. But in six appearances, he has scored four goals. Given his ability, when he is fit, he is one of the best players in the world. But he is also the kind of player who needs an arm around him and someone to motivate him in the right way," he explained.
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