PSG coach Emery hopeful over Mbappe injury after Neymar blow

Kylian Mbappe sustained an ankle injury during a Coupe de France quarter-final win against Marseille, but Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery hopes the problem is not serious.

PSG have already been dealt a severe blow to their hopes of overturning a two-goal deficit against Real Madrid in the Champions League due to Neymar’s injury.

The Brazilian requires surgery on a fractured metatarsal, with Emery having previously said Neymar would not have an operation and had a “small chance” of facing Madrid.

Neymar will now certainly miss the second leg at the Parc des Princes on March 6, but Emery is upbeat about Mbappe’s chances of making a speedy recovery after the striker’s withdrawal at half-time in a 3-0 Classique win.

“He got a blow to his ankle,” Emery told reporters. “He asked not to play in the second half and I hope it’s not very important.”

Two Classicos, two 3-0 scorelines, two PSG wins pic.twitter.com/Hm8lYI1Khu

— PSG English (@PSG_English) February 28, 2018

Angel Di Maria staked his claim to replace Neymar in the PSG team for the Madrid match with a goal either side of half-time, Edinson Cavani wrapping up a second comprehensive win over Marseille in four days after a 3-0 Ligue 1 victory on Sunday.

“We have to keep working together, to have confidence and to preserve the competition and the performance,” Emery said. 

“Today, we saw that the team and the players who played were good. I’m going to think about [Saturday’s game against] Troyes, then Real.

“But I have confidence in the players that I have. I hope to have all the players ready, whether they start or come off the bench during the match.”