“They have many qualities and are very intelligent” – Ligue 1 star explains how clubs can stop Lionel Messi and Neymar
AS Monaco are set to face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), who boast the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar in their attack, in Ligue 1 next. Ahead of the clash, Monaco's Chilean defender Guillermo Maripan outlined how the superstar attacking duo could be stopped.
Both Neymar and Messi have been in sensational form this campaign. Messi has scored 15 goals and provided 14 assists in 25 games. Neymar, meanwhile, has scored 17 goals and provided 16 assists in 26 games this campaign.
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For any side facing Christophe Galtier's team, stopping the two attackers is one of the promary tasks.
In a recent interview with Chilean media outlet ADN, Maripan said:
“Messi and Neymar are two very astute players, They have many qualities and are very intelligent in the game; in front of them, you always have to be very focused, communicate a lot with your teammates and also show aggressiveness.”
Marseille recently kept the duo at bay in a 2-1 win to knock PSG out of the Coup de France. Taking reference of that game, Maripan said:
“I think high blood pressure can hinder them, as Marseille has shown, This is one of the ingredients that we will have to use in this match.”
Monaco, though, will not have the task to handle Kylian Mbappe. The 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner remains sidelined after sustaining a hamstring injury against Montpellier on February 2.
Lionel Messi and Neymar will have to carry PSG's attacking threat against Bayern Munich
In Kylian Mbappe's absence, the onus will be upon Lionel Messi and Neymar to carry the Parisian club's attacking duties. While Messi has been suffering from a hamstring overload, he's expected to play against Bayern.
The Bavarians' coach Julian Nagelsmann recently made an emphatic claim about Messi and Mbappe's impact on PSG, saying:
"There’s a lot of pressure on both teams. PSG are better with Messi & Mbappe than without them, but they also have good replacements. They have a deep squad. I’ll prepare the team as if they were playing.”
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The two European giants will square off in the Round of 16 first leg of the UEFA Champions League on February 14.