PSG forward Mbappe will win the Ballon d’Or one day: Bayern boss Flick, Latest Football News - The New Paper
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PSG forward Mbappe will win the Ballon d’Or one day: Bayern boss Flick

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick hailed Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe ahead of the sides' Champions League quarter-final, second-leg clash tomorrow morning (Singapore time).

Mbappe scored two of PSG's goals in their 3-2 first-leg win at the Allianz Arena last week and bagged a hat-trick in the previous round against Barcelona.

QUARTER-FINAL, 2ND LEG
PSG BAYERN MUNICH

The 22-year-old Frenchman has 33 goals from 39 games for PSG this season and is on course to match his career high of 39 goals set two seasons ago.

Said Flick: "(Mbappe) will win the Ballon d'Or one day, I am absolutely convinced of that. He has everything.

"He is fast, he has a good technique and - what is most important - he scores a lot of goals."

Bayern Munich vice-captain Thomas Mueller agreed, warning that the German champions have to be wary of Mbappe, as well as Neymar.

He said of Mbappe: "He is very dangerous. With our style of play, space will automatically be created. The defence will have an important task.

"Neymar and Mbappe usually stay up front, they don't defend, they stay in a dangerous situation for a counter-attacking chance. You're never going to be able to keep them out of the game completely."

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who made an uncharacteristic error for Mbappe's opener last week, however, insisted the French champions have defensive vulnerabilities.

He told the Bundesliga website: "They have problems at the back. If we create as many chances as we did in Munich, then we can do it."

Ahead of a repeat of last season's final, which Bayern won, Flick said Lucas Hernandez, Leon Goretzka, Jerome Boateng and Kingsley Coman are back in training and in contention for selection.

PSG, meanwhile, could have Alessandro Florenzi back but Marco Verratti will miss out and Marquinhos remains doubtful.

PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino called Bayern the "best team in Europe, best team in the world" but Bayern legend Lothar Matthaeus told German publication Kicker: "They are no longer as compact as in the previous season, there is a lack of cleverness and speed".

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