Kylian Mbappé, PSG
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PSG-Bordeaux preview: Mbappé 'The season is not over'

PSG-Bordeaux preview: Mbappé 'The season is not over'

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Publish on 03/11 at 10:52 - I. HOLYMAN

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Kylian Mbappé insists Paris Saint-Germain's season "is not over" as the Ligue 1 Uber Eats leaders aim to rebound from their midweek UEFA Champions League exit with victory over bottom side Bordeaux on Sunday (kick-off 1pm CET).

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bordeaux

 

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Mbappé scored his second goal of the tie to put PSG 2-0 ahead on aggregate at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday only for Mauricio Pochettino's men to collapse to a 3-1 loss in the Spanish capital that saw Real Madrid progress at their expense.

 

The bitter disappointment of the defeat — and the drama of its manner — will take time to digest. Out of the Coupe de France and with a 13-point lead at the top of the table despite last weekend's loss to second-placed Nice, PSG look as if they could now cruise to the end of the season, but Mbappé's motivation remains intact.

 

WATCH: A five-goal thriller between PSG and Bordeaux this season

 

 

 

 

"The Champions League was a major objective for us, but we fell short," wrote the France striker, who saw international teammate Karim Benzema claim a hat-trick to turn the tie. "The season isn't over and — whatever happens — we'll stay united and determined to the last match of the season."

 

A hamstring injury to Angel Di Maria shortly after he had come off the bench in the closing stages just added to the frustration PSG felt in Madrid where they suffered their fourth Champions League exit having won the first leg of their knockout tie in the last decade.

 

"It's tough to explain. We won the first game, we had the match here in hand," said captain Marquinhos, whose poor clearance led to Benzema sweeping in the third Madrid goal — barely a minute after he had added the second — to take the Spanish side of ex-PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti through to the quarter-finals. 

 

"Now, we have to keep going forward, we can still do some good things. And we need to come back stronger and more mature in Europe next season."

 

 

Though they will be without the suspended Marco Verratti, Sergio Ramos (calf) and Ander Herrera (eye), Marquinhos and his teammates could barely have asked for better opponents as they bid to regain confidence. PSG haven't lost to Bordeaux in Ligue 1 since March 2015 — a run of 13 games — while their last top-flight defeat to Les Girondins at the Parc des Princes dates back to August 2010. 

 

While history is against the visitors, so is current form. They have conceded 65 goals after 27 games, the most by a team at this stage of the season since Avignon shipped 67 in 1975/76, while David Guion's men have 22 points, their second lowest tally ever after the 17 they had amassed in 1959/60.

 

WATCH: Troyes' big win at Bordeaux

 

 

 

 

That season, they were relegated, and though they are just three points off safety, last weekend's 2-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Troyes was a huge blow for coach David Guion.

 

"We didn't use the ball well enough, especially in the final third, as we tried to put our forwards in the best possible positions. There was determination from my players — I can't fault them in that regard — but there was not enough technical quality," said Guion, who replaced Vladimir Petkovic in mid-February.

 

"It's a big disappointment. The players, the staff, everyone is disappointed. I came here to keep Bordeaux up. It's not the last day of the season, there are still 33 points to be won, I believe we can do it. But we have to be more precise technically. Since I arrived, I've noticed that we don't manage to play the right ball forward. It's something the players really have to do a lot of work on."


Probable teams


PSG: Navas; Hakimi, Marquinhos (c), Kimpembe, Bernat; Gueye, Danilo, Wijnaldum; Messi, Mbappé, Neymar

 

Bordeaux: Poussin; Gregersen, Ahmedhodzic, Marcelo; Pembélé, Guilavogui (c), Onana, Mensah; Elis, Hwang, Adli

 

>> MATCH PREVIEW: Lyon vs. Rennes 

 

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