Former PSG star Edouard Cisse admits the team's chances of beating Bayern entirely rely on one superstar

Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Edouard Cisse has claimed that the Parisians' hopes of beating their UEFA Champions League opponents Bayern Munich in Germany entirely rely on Kylian Mbappe.

PSG hosted Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie on Tuesday, February 14. The match, though, did not go according to plan for them.

A second-half goal from former Les Parisiens forward Kingsley Coman gave the visitors a 1-0 win. Christophe Galtier's side struggled to find a way past Yann Sommer despite having the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar in their line-up.

⌛️ FT: Paris Saint-Germain lose by one goal in the first leg.

#PSGFCB https://t.co/E6LIUlLDaY

The Parisians' best spell in the game notably came after Mbappe came on as a substitute 57th minute. The France international even found the back of the net late in the match, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

With the return leg of the tie scheduled to take place at the Allianz Arena on March 8, Cisse feels it is imperative that Mbappe starts for PSG that night. Admitting that the club's chances of remaining in the competition have been reduced to one player, he advised his former employers to protect the forward from injuries until then.

He told French daily L'Equipe [via Canal Supporters]:

"We are reduced to that. I don't like to say that because I hate to boil it all down to one player, but that's the reality. He has to be there [for the return leg], he has to be wrapped in cotton, there is no other option."

🗣️"Dès qu’ils ont lâché les chevaux, ils ont mis en difficulté le Bayern🇩🇪"

🎙️Edouard Cissé pour @lequipe

➡️canal-supporters.com/cisse-des-quil…

#PSG #UCL #PSGBAY https://t.co/W0kcMv7tkO

Cisse believes PSG's display against Bayern on Tuesday proved Mbappe is too important for the team. He said:

"We can play with panache while remaining serious defensively. It felt like they needed Kylian to come in for courage. So in fact, it's Mbappe 's PSG."

How has Mbappe fared for PSG this season?

Mbappe has made 27 appearances across all competitions for the Parc des Princes outfit this season. He found the back of the net 25 times and provided six assists in those matches.

It is worth noting that Les Parisiens have now lost each of the last three matches the Frenchman has not started in. The player is thus proving to be too important for Galtier and Co., who have struggled for form recently.

The Parisians will thus be hopeful of having Mbappe fit in their upcoming matches as they look to regain their form. They will face Lille, Marseille and Nantes in Ligue 1 before taking on Bayern in Germany.