PARIS: Bayern Munich play Paris Saint-Germain in a blockbuster clash as Chelsea travel to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday (today).
On the eve of their key European game at Paris’ Parc de Princes, Bayern president Uli Hoenesss said the Germans would never follow the example of PSG, who paid a world record 222 million euros ($264 million) for Neymar in August.
In contrast to PSG, Bayern set a club record in June by paying a more modest 41.5m euros for midfielder Corentin Tolisso.“I have made it clear that a player costing 100 million euros is unacceptable for Bayern”, Hoeness told German magazine Kicker.The Brazilian star has been included in PSG’s squad against Bayern after recovering from a foot injury.
Neymar’s return fuelled speculation over whether the Brazilian forward or Edinson Cavani would take a penalty if the French club are awarded one during the Group B game. The two players argued in the 2-0 win over Olympique Lyonnais nine days ago when Neymar tried to take a penalty instead of Uruguayan Cavani, who eventually had his spot-kick parried away by the keeper.
Neymar, the world’s most expensive footballer, missed PSG’s 0-0 draw at Montpellier on Saturday as the team dropped their first points of the season in Ligue 1.Argentine winger Angel Di Maria also returns to the PSG squad after nearly three weeks out injured.
Neymar and Cavani are likely to start alongside Kylian Mbappe in a 4-3-3 formation.The game also sees Ancelotti return to face PSG for the first time since he left the French capital in 2013 after an 18-month stint that saw him oversee their first Ligue 1 title triumph in almost 20 years.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the star of that side, but the 2012-13 campaign also saw young playmaker Verratti become a firm favourite of the Paris crowd.And Verratti, who was just 19 when he arrived from Pescara in his native Italy, himself credited Ancelotti for helping him settle so quickly among the stars at the Qatar-owned club.
“He is like a father to me. I will be grateful for the rest of my life for the chance he has given me,” the Italian international, nicknamed the ‘Little Owl’, said at the time.
The opening of Atletico Madrid’s 68,000 capacity stadium marks heady days for a club that has traditionally lived in the shadow of neighbours Real Madrid, none more so in the Champions League in recent years.
Atletico have fallen to Real in the quarters, semis and twice in the final in the past four seasons, but there is a sense of optimism flowing through the red and white half of Madrid as Chelsea travel to the Spanish capital.
“Right now it is the best stadium in Europe,” said Atletico president Enrique Cerezo ahead of its opening in a tense 1-0 win over Malaga 10 days ago.“On the outside it is spectacular. On the inside it is the business.”
Fears that Atletico’s form could slump due to the move in a manner suffered by the likes of West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur in recent times have been blown away by back-to-back wins over Malaga and Sevilla.In 23 Champions League home games under the Argentine, Atletico have won 18, lost only once and kept 18 clean sheets.
Chelsea were one of the few sides to escape without defeat with a 0-0 draw in the semi-final, first leg between the sides in 2014. Atletico, though, had the final say as Simeone famously charged down the Stamford Bridge touchline in celebration during a 3-1 second leg win for the Spaniards.
A fiery atmosphere could be fuelled by the presence of Diego Costa in the stands fresh from ending his standoff with Chelsea to force through a return to Atletico.Costa can’t play until January, but his move for a club record fee is a further sign that Atletico feel they now belong among Europe’s elite.
