PSG to make Neymar decision for UCL clash
Thomas Tuchel says Paris Saint-Germain will decide on Monday (AEDT) whether Neymar will play against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.
PSG, which faces Dortmund in the first leg of a Round of 16 tie in Germany on Wednesday (AEDT), has been without the Brazil star for its past four matches because of a rib injury.
Neymar missed crucial knockout games against Real Madrid and Manchester United in the past two UEFA Champions League seasons, with Tuchel still uncertain about his availability for this latest knockout contest in Europe against the German's former club.
"We have had a very close match and we are already talking about Neymar," Tuchel said after PSG's extraordinary 4-4 draw at Amiens in Ligue 1 on Sunday (AEDT), a fixture the forward missed.
"Right now, I can't say anything in respect to Neymar. We can feel it is in everyone's minds.
"I still don't know about Neymar for Tuesday. Tomorrow [Sunday] we will make a decision about whether he can play or not."
Even though PSG fought back from three goals down in a thrilling contest with Amiens, Tuchel could not be satisfied after his side were denied victory by Serhou Guirassy's second goal, scored in stoppage-time.
However, he was pleased with how his players reacted to falling three behind inside 40 minutes, with Ander Herrera and Mauro Icardi on target either side of a double from teenager Tanguy Kouassi.
"We had the possibility of winning, twice we could have scored a fifth goal," Tuchel added.
"Of course, when we concede four goals, we cannot be happy. But it was a complex situation and we arrived here not at 100 per cent.
"In the first half, the opponents shot four times and scored three goals, so things got complicated.
"We weren't focused enough but there are reasons for that. It's normal, there is a decisive match coming in the Champions League, and we did not have the right mentality.
"We reacted well to that and we deserved to win, but now is not the time to be angry."