"Bayern Munich will go through" - Jamie Carragher makes discouraging UCL prediction involving PSG and Lionel Messi
Jamie Carragher does not see Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lionel Messi causing a turnaround against Bayern Munich in their UEFA Champions League tie.
Les Parisiens face Bayern at the Allianz Arena in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 on Wednesday (March 8). They are trailing 1-0 as they go into the game.
PSG will hope that the likes of Messi and Kylian Mbappe are firing on all cylinders as they look to cause a turnaround in Munich. They will be positive about their chances of progressing into the quarter-finals, having won each of their last three games.
However, Carragher believes the trip to Munich will be Lionel Messi's last Champions League game of the season. The Liverpool legend has tipped Bayern to book their place in the quarter-finals with a win against the Parisians.
"I think it'll be the last time we see Messi play in the Champions League this season," Carragher said on CBS Sports. "I think Bayern Munich will go through."
"Kylian is back!"
"...Could be the last time we see Lionel Messi play in the Champions League (this season) ."
@carra23 @micahrichards and Thierry Henry preview tomorrow's #UCL matches. 🍿 https://t.co/p2v1UOzmcA
However, Thierry Henry, who was also present in the CBS Sports studio, refused to rule PSG out of the tie, having been impressed with their new 5-3-2 setup. He suggested that the result could depend on how Bayern defend against Messi, saying:
"I just want to see what, tactically, Bayern Munich are going to do. That's what I want to see, how they're going to stop the big man [Lionel Messi] because that 5-3-2 is not bad at all when they [PSG] play like that."
Meanwhile, Micah Richards claimed that Kylian Mbappe will make the difference for Les Parisiens in Munich, saying:
"Kylian is back! He's back! I don't care, I've had enough! He was injured the last time [the two teams faced each other], he came on and nearly was the difference. Tomorrow [Wednesday; ed.], Kylian is going to be the difference."
Mbappe had to settle for a place on the bench in the first leg of the tie as he was not fully fit.
PSG superstar Lionel Messi is in red-hot form
The Ligue 1 giants will be without Neymar for the clash against Bayern as the Brazilian has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to an ankle injury. However, Lionel Messi's recent form is a boost to their hopes of causing a turnaround against Julian Nagelsmann's side.
The Argentinian icon has scored in each of the team's last three league games and also provided two assists. Mbappe, on the other hand, found the back of the net five times in those matches.