Scouting report: New injury concern for PSG
Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel believes it will be "very difficult" for striker Edinson Cavani to play in Tuesday's Champions League game with Manchester United.
The Ligue 1 side warmed up for their visit to Old Trafford by beating Bordeaux 1-0 on Saturday night, thanks to a penalty from Cavani.
But the Uruguayan forward was unable to finish the match due to an injury problem, and was substituted at half-time.
Tuchel is already without the services of star Brazilian playmaker Neymar, who has been ruled out due to a metatarsal issue, and after the Bordeaux match, the German manager revealed that Cavani faces an uphill battle to be involved at Old Trafford.
“We don't have good news for Edi," said Tuchel. “He has undergone exams and there will be more tests here at the training centre. My feeling is that it will be very difficult for him to feature in Manchester.
“The club will wait a little longer, but in my opinion the news will not be good. Hope is very, very small.”
VERRATTI RETURNS
There was positive news in other areas, however. Italian midfielder Marco Verratti returned to the starting XI after several weeks out with ankle troubles, and played just short of one hour before being substituted.
"He played 60 minutes, I don't know if it's possible for him to play again at Old Trafford against Manchester United only three days later," admitted Tuchel.
"But, in our situation, it's maybe necessary to try to make him play. We have to decide tomorrow [Sunday] about that. We have to wait for Marco's opinion."
💬🎙️ "I am very happy to have been able to be back on the pitch after those three weeks.”
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 9, 2019
Welcome back Marco! 💪 pic.twitter.com/Ixhic8NVwr
The win against Bordeaux stretched PSG's lead at the top of the French league to an eye-opening 13 points, and the Rouge et Blue still have a game in hand over second-place Lille.
But it has been a difficult period for the champions. Last weekend brought their first league defeat of the season, away at Lyon, while they needed extra-time - and the introduction of French World Cup-winning prodigy Kylian Mbappe - to overcome lowly Villefranche in the French Cup on Wednesday evening.
Now they face a race against time to prepare Cavani for Tuesday's match at Old Trafford.
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