Kompany lauds PSG ahead of Champions League meeting

Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has described Paris Saint-Germain as one of the biggest clubs in Europe ahead of tomorrow’s UEFA Champions League clash.

PSG have been enduring a difficult Champions League campaign, winning just one game out of four, which was a last-minute Paulo Gazzaniga howler in their opener against La Liga side Girona.

The French champions currently sit 25th in the revamped “League Phase” of the competition, on course for a premature exit. 

PSG had enjoyed a relatively successful campaign from PSG last season, where they reached the semi-finals of the competition before losing to Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.

In contrast to their recent poor form in Europe, Les Parisiens are sitting pretty at the top of Ligue 1. 

Their present league form has garnered the respect of Kompany, who has described them as one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

“They have big individuals and a world-class coach,” said the Bayern Munich manager at a press conference ahead of the Champions League tie. 

The former Burnley head coach, who said they are a very talented team, added that players will reach the levels of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the coming years.

Bayern Munich will welcome PSG to the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night, looking to bolster their hopes of a top-eight finish. 

The French team received a positive boost as Presnel Kimpembe returned to action 638 days after his last match. The 29 has been included in a Paris Saint-Germain squad for the first time since undergoing two lots of surgery on a troublesome Achilles injury. 

The Frenchman, who has not played since February 2023, underwent surgery in the wake of that injury before being forced to have another round of surgery at the end of last year. Having recently returned to first-team training, he is now nearing a return. 

Although Kimpembe has been included in PSG’s squad to face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, RMC Sport reported that he will not be on the team sheet. This means he will, therefore, have to wait to make his return to the pitch. 

This is the same situation as with 23-year-old Gonçalo Ramos, who was injured on the season’s opening day. The Portuguese forward is expected to be on the teamsheet and could feature for PSG in a key Champions League clash.

Lucas Hernandez is, however, on the treatment table. The French international will also have to wait as he has yet to recover from his knee injury in May, which ruled him out of the Euros.

This shows that PSG are nearly back to full strength as things go.