Mbappé experiences stage fright

The scene of epic pages for the history that they had among the victims of stage fright that Jorge Valdano popularized Derby County, Inter Milan or Borussia Mönchengladbach, among others, the Santiago Bernabéu conspires to live another great European night against the powerful PSG by Kylian Mbappe. Loved and feared in equal parts, the star of Bondy will set foot in the coliseum that hopes to have him as a flagship in a few months with the aim of tying up a tie that tyrannized in the first leg with his imbalance, but that he could not fasten because opposite ran into an imperial Courtois. A welcome worthy of the hero who is to come is expected. But from the moment the referee unleashes hostilities, the Chamartín temple will only look at its colors.

The communion with the parish that was appreciated last Saturday at the end of the league match against Real Sociedad was nothing more than the first center of that player number twelve who, more than ever, must be the merengue parish for Carlo Ancelotti’s team, which He arrives grown up at the event after winning the three duels he has fought in the domestic championship since kneeling in the Parc des Princes.

Strengthened by this full of triumphs, the whites will receive PSG with a renewed skin. The review given by Mauricio Pochettino’s squad touched a key in Ancelotti’s spirit, who has spent the last few weeks outlining a more aggressive, purposeful and threatening block from long distance, without losing his fang on the counter, his saint and sign in the first half of the course.

The thirteen-time European champion is also in great form, although he regrets the absences due to suspension of Mendy and Casemiro, two of the chiefs of his defensive gear. Minimizing the holes left by his casualties is a tricky task for Ancelotti, who will pull a proven firefighter like Nacho to cover the vacancy on the left side and will have to do engineering in the center of the field to replace his reference riot police.

Doubts

Kroos was the one designated to provide balance to the midfield, but the problem in the hamstring of his left leg that left the German out of action in recent days will keep the suspense about his presence until the last minute. If he is not in full condition, it is most likely that Modric will delay his position to provide clarity at the beginning of the plays, with Valverde and Camavinga as hard-fought midfielders. Asensio and Rodrygo are playing for a place in the trident that Vinicius and Benzema will complete, for whom a double would allow him to overtake Alfredo Di Stéfano as the third-highest all-time scorer for the Concha Espina club.

Fewer doubts surround Pochettino’s eleven, another name that has been in Florentino Pérez’s orbit for a long time and that only the achievement of that long-awaited ‘orejona’ that will be delivered on May 28 in Saint-Denis would save Al-Khelaïfi from burning . Overcome the scare he gave before traveling to Madrid, Mbappé participated in the last session and everything indicates that he will start against what could be his new team in a few months.

The main unknown lies in the goal, where Keylor Navas is playing for the position with Donnarumma, a starter at the Parc des Princes. Another question to clear up will be the defensive performance of a team that usually splits when it presents its trident of bells on the grass. Di María offers more sacrifice than Neymar, but the player from São Paulo is perfect for throwing out the white demons alongside Messi. More wood for a cockfight that will have profound consequences.