All posts by n8rngtd.top

Sanjay Bangar, however, feels all pitches must adhere to broad guidelines, with local characteristics bringing in natural variety

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Apr-20259:28

Chopra: Teams should dictate nature of pitches at home

Should IPL teams be able to tailor conditions at their home grounds to suit their playing styles? And if so, how much home advantage is too much?These have been major talking points over the early weeks of IPL 2025. Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit has said his team has little or no say in pitch preparation at Eden Gardens. Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming has dismissed the idea that his team enjoys significant home advantage at Chepauk, and said they’ve struggled to read their home pitches in recent years. And after his team’s defeat to Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants mentor Zaheer Khan suggested that the Ekana pitch looked like it had been prepared by the opposition team’s curator.Former India opener Aakash Chopra has a clear stance on the issue: allow teams to dictate conditions at their home venues.Related

• LSG's Akash Deep '100% fit and ready' after long injury layoff

• Zaheer: Looked like it was Punjab curator at our home game

• KKR coach bats for home teams getting favourable conditions

• Fleming: 'No home advantage at Chepauk'

“I feel every home team should have the right to decide the kind of surface that they want,” Chopra said on ESPNcricinfo’s IPL show, Time Out. “They should demand the surface, and they should get it, is what I feel, because home advantage is real, and that comes in only two forms: one is the surface that you choose and the second is the crowd support that is there. Other than that it’s an away game.”The paramount thing is the surface they are going to play on – crowd might still be secondary. If you take away the pitch, I think whole plans completely derail.”The issue of home advantage in the IPL is complicated by the fact that three teams play some of their games at a second “home” ground – Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam, Punjab Kings in Dharamsala, and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati.”From time to time I actually scratch my head [about this], and I still haven’t found an answer […] because you don’t pick a team based on how the pitch is going to be in Guwahati or in Dharamsala. You pick a [Royals] team [on the basis of], okay, I’m going to play seven games at Sawai Mansingh Stadium [in Jaipur], ideally,” Chopra said. “Or Chennai will pick a team that is ideal for Chepauk for those seven games. And if you deny them that opportunity to play the right kind of team that you picked thinking, that this is the kind of surface that we want, if you don’t get that surface, then it just doesn’t work out. So in my opinion, every team should actually be allowed to dictate the way the pitches are to be made.”Delhi Capitals are one of three teams who play some of their IPL games at a second ‘home’ venue•BCCI

Bangar: ‘You do not want the game to be too lopsided’

On the same show, former India allrounder Sanjay Bangar, who has also been head coach at Punjab Kings (2014-16) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2021-23) expressed a different view, that there be certain broad guidelines that all pitches must adhere to, with local characteristics of various venues bringing in natural variety.”I think still BCCI would like to have a little bit of control over it, and maintain the characteristics of a particular surface,” Bangar said. “If you totally give it to the hands of the franchise, you do not really want the game to be too lopsided as well, so I’m of the opinion [of having] a little bit of uniformity wherein not having too much of a say for the home side, still there is enough variety in terms of the vast nature of our country wherein cricket is played all across the nation, in itself has variations in terms of red soil, black soil and all of that. I’m of the opinion that a little bit of direction or guideline is always better.”Bangar suggested that it might be more difficult for teams to create pitches with a range of characteristics at smaller grounds such as the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where only the two most central pitches on the square are used for IPL matches. Grounds with bigger square boundaries can play their IPL games on a greater number of pitches.”In RCB, Chinnaswamy, there are only two pitches on which you can play games, because of the size of the ground,” Bangar said. “And generally, you can’t have a lot of variation [between] those two surfaces, because it is practically impossible to do that.”With this in mind, Bangar felt the best way for teams to make use of home advantage would be to use their knowledge of home conditions while building their squads during the retention and auction stages.”You can clearly build a team taking into account the past knowledge and past experience of what has happened on that particular venue, and pick a team,” he said. “But if you pick a team and then ask the groundsman [for a particular kind of pitch], then I don’t think that will go down well with the system.”It’s harder for curators to prepare pitches to order at smaller venues like the Chinnaswamy•BCCI

‘I’m not asking you to remove chicken from butter chicken’

Chopra remained firm in advocating for teams to ask curators for specific pitch characteristics, and felt there were enough checks and balances within the IPL to prevent home advantage from going too far.”There is a match referee in the end, if you think the pitch is not suitable for cricket,” he said. “[If] it’s a rank turner because they have Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy and Anukul Roy [all three are KKR spin bowlers] and they are going to now make a pitch that is unplayable because it’s turning so much, there is a match referee, just pull them up. There is a fair play award for all we care.”You should have something to actually ensure that you’re not compromising the sanctity of the game. If it is not going that far, please allow [teams to dictate pitch preparation].”Chopra used a culinary metaphor to illustrate the limits of this.”I’m not asking you to remove chicken from butter chicken,” he said. “I’m not saying that. I’m saying, okay, can we just make it slightly milder? Can we make it slightly less oily?”What ownership do IPL teams have over their home grounds, though? The BCCI’s member state associations own and administer the grounds, and are the employers of the groundstaff.”The thing is, the franchise pays a particular fee to the venue,” Bangar said. “They do not own the ground, they do not pay the curators. I think there would be a time and place [in the future] where the franchise may have their own grounds, may have their own groundstaff, and then they can [make pitches to] order. At the moment, they’re just living on rent, so to say. So when you live on rent, you can’t totally make a lot of changes.”

India head coach says his personal opinion is that even matches at neutral venues should stop after the Pahalgam terror attack

PTI06-May-2025India head coach Gautam Gambhir has called for a complete halt to cricketing engagements with Pakistan, including at neutral venues, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.”My personal answer to this is absolutely no,” Gambhir, speaking at an event in Delhi on Tuesday, said when asked whether India should continue playing Pakistan in multi-team tournaments. “Till all this [terrorism] doesn’t stop, there should not be anything between India and Pakistan.”Twenty-six people were killed in the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir on April 22. Since then, the government of India has announced several measures against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the border crossing at Attari, and downgrading of diplomatic ties in view of cross-border links to the attack.India have not played a bilateral series against Pakistan since January 2013 and have only played them at multi-nation tournaments such as the Asia Cup and the ICC events. They most recently played each other at the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai, and could possibly face each other in the women’s ODI World Cup and men’s Asia Cup later this year, and the men’s T20 World Cup in 2026.”Ultimately, this is [the] government’s decision whether we play them or not,” Gambhir said. “I have said this before also, no cricket match or Bollywood or any other interaction is more important than the life of Indian soldiers and Indian citizens. Matches will keep happening, movies will be made, singers will continue to perform, but nothing comes close to losing a loved one in your family.”This is not up to me, it’s not in my jurisdiction, this is for BCCI and, more importantly, the government to decide whether we should play them or not,” Gambhir said. “Whatever decision they make, we should be absolutely fine with it and not politicise it.”

‘A coach’s job isn’t selecting the team’

Gambhir also said he would have no role in deciding whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are picked for the upcoming five-Test tour of England, which begins in June. Both batters had struggled for runs during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia in December-January but played important roles in India winning the Champions Trophy earlier this year.”First things first, a coach’s job isn’t selecting the team. It is the job of selectors to select,” Gambhir said. “The coach only selects the XI who will play a match. Neither those who coached before me were selectors, nor am I a selector.”Till the time they [Kohli and Rohit] are performing, they should be a part of the team. When you start and when you end is your individual decision. No coach, no selector, no BCCI can tell you when you should call it quits. If you perform, then why 40, you can jolly well play till 45, who’s stopping you?”

PBKS had earlier lost Lockie Ferguson to an injury, but didn’t name a replacement for him

ESPNcricinfo staff01-May-20252:28

How tough is the road ahead for PBKS?

Punjab Kings (PBKS) allrounder Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2025 after suffering a finger injury in his right hand.”It’s very unfortunate that he’s got a fractured finger,” Shreyas Iyer, the PBKS captain, said at the toss ahead of their game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Wednesday night. “To be honest, we haven’t decided about the replacements yet, but we are pretty strong in our team’s mindset and what we have outside of our playing XI. We’ve got a variety of players who can win you matches. So we’re going to stick to that as much as possible.”Marcus Stoinis also confirmed that Maxwell had gone for scans and the results “weren’t great”. “He didn’t think it was too bad, but it ended up getting pretty bad,” Stoinis told the broadcaster before the match in Chennai. “He had scans and, yeah, the results weren’t great. So unfortunately for Maxi, I think it’s likely he’s out for the tournament.”Related

• Ponting: Shreyas 'understands game situations better now'

• Hat-trickster Chahal is still making batters look silly

Maxwell had a poor run in the tournament with the bat but contributed with his offspin, taking four wickets. He had 48 runs in six innings, including single-digit scores in each of his last four games. He had been bought for INR 4.2 crore at the last mega auction.This is the second injury-related setback for PBKS after fast bowler Lockie Ferguson sustained a “serious injury ” earlier this month and was ruled out of the tournament. PBKS have, however, not named a replacement for Ferguson either, but Ponting said that would be addressed soon.”We will be signing some replacements at some stage,” head coach Ricky Ponting said. “We’ve got until our 12th game [to name replacements], so we have a couple of games to go yet. With the squad we’ve got, we’re trying to find players in our squad anyway, we’ve got most bases covered. So we’ve got Azmatullah [Omarzai], Aaron Hardie, who hasn’t played yet, Xavier Bartlett, who didn’t play today, it’s conditions based. But when we get to Dharamsala, he will come back into the reckoning up there, where the ball might swing and bounce a little bit more.”So we’ve actually been a little bit patient. Maxi’s only been a couple of days, Lockie’s has been two or three weeks. And with the PSL happening at the same time, there’s not a lot of high-quality replacements out there, to be honest. So we’ve just been patient. We’re having a look around at Indian talent as well and we’re looking at what roles we might be able to fill with some younger Indian players. We’ll actually take a couple of guys to Dharamsala with us, a couple of guys trained with us yesterday and they will come with us to Dharamsala. We’ll have a closer look at them and they might find themselves with a Punjab contract going forward. It has to be this week, has to be before the 12th game, so stay tuned.”PBKS are currently placed second on the points table, only behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). CSK is the only team right now that has been eliminated from the playoffs race.

Tristan Stubbs will be back for the rest of the league-phase games before leaving for the WTC final

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-20253:01

What does the race to the IPL playoffs look like?

Mitchell Starc has decided against flying back to India for the remainder of IPL 2025 for Delhi Capitals (DC). AAP understands that a week after being part of the match that was abandoned in Dharamsala – and will be replayed – Starc has told the franchise that he wouldn’t be finishing the league. Donovan Ferreira, who played one game this season, will also not be returning.The update means that Starc will have a clear runway into the World Test Championship (WTC) final, avoiding the possibility of playing T20s in India a week before the match. Starc is DC’s highest wicket-taker so far in the season with 14 wickets in 11 matches at 26.14.There is still no confirmation on whether Faf du Plessis would be returning to DC, while Tristan Stubbs has confirmed his return, but only for the rest of the league phase, after which he would be leaving for the WTC final.DC have also signed Mustafizur Rahman as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk, who isn’t returning to India. However, there is a bit of uncertainty over Mustafizur’s participation, since the BCB has stated that it hadn’t been approached for a non-objection certificate for the cricketer, who is in Sharjah currently to play in a T20I series against UAE.Of the other Australians at the IPL, Pat Cummins and Travis Head are both returning to India to link up with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who are out of the running for the playoffs and finish their engagements for the season on May 25, which will give both players enough time to prepare for the WTC final.Josh Hazlewood will assess a niggling shoulder injury before determining whether to go back to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for their title tilt. Josh Inglis has, meanwhile, held off a decision on his plans to return for Punjab Kings (PBKS), while Mitchell Marsh will be back for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

The Barcelona superstar earns an amazing €126 million, according to France Football, which far outstrips his rivals, including Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi is the highest-paid player in world football, with a staggering value of €126 million!

The figure, which includes bonuses and commercial revenue, far outstrips Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Gareth Bale, who trail in Messi's wake.

Goal takes a look at the highest-paid players in world football, according to France Football's latest list!

• 20Manuel Neuer | Bayern Munich | Value: €20.8m

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  19Paul Pogba | Manchester United | €22m

• Getty Images
  

  18Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | €22.2m

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  17Oscar | Shanghai SIPG | €22.2m

As we enter the second games of the group stage, Goal has created their best XI from each nation's opening match of the World Cup

• Hannes Halldorsson | GK | Iceland

  Iceland's goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson saved Lionel Messi's second-half penalty during their first group game of the World Cup, resulting in a 1-1 draw against Argentina.. 

Advertisement

• Kieran Trippier | RB | England

  England right-back Kieran Trippier created six chances for England to score in the 2-1 win over Tunisia, including taking the corner that resulted in Harry Kane's stoppage time goal. 

• Jose Gimenez | CB | Uruguay

  Uruguay centre-back Jose Gimenez scored the 89th-minute winner in their game against Egypt, earning the two-time champions three points and second place in their group after their first game.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Andreas Granqvist | CB | Sweden

  Andreas Granqvist scored a penalty after a VAR review in the Sweden vs South Korea game. It was the only goal of the game and gave the Scandinavians a 1-0 win.

Goal rounds up the seven Premier League title races that were decided on the final day, from Kenny Dalglish's win with Rovers to 'Aguero!'

The 2018-19 Premier League is hurtling to another season's end, though we won't know who will be crowned champions until the final whistle is blown until full-time for Manchester City and Liverpool on Sunday.

This season has seen the two frontrunners run riot in the English top-flight, setting a 20-point gap between themselves and third and fourth place. City and Liverpool have been battling it out neck and neck for Premier League glory in one of the most thrilling and dramatic title races in history.

Liverpool could finish the season on an incredible 97 points but that still wouldn't be enough to clinch the Premier League title from City, should they win their final game against Brighton and be crowned English champions on 98 points.

Goal takes a look at seven historic Premier League title races that were decided on the final day.

• Getty
  

  2013-14

  Liverpool lost the 2014 league title by two agonising points to City, during a campaign more remembered for their incredible capitulation than last-day drama.

  The Reds were in prime position to win their first ever Premier League title until they suffered a 2-0 defeat by way of an unfortunate slip by Steven Gerrard against Chelsea in April. Liverpool then had the chance to finish the season joint-top with the Sky Blues – until they squandered a 3-0 lead at Crystal Palace to settle for a draw at Selhurst Park in the infamous ‘Crystanbul’.

  Their only hope was for City to lose to Brighton in their final game, but that didn’t happen, and they lost the league by a hair’s breadth.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  2011-12

  The beauty and unpredictability of football means that not even an Oscar-winning script could ever come close to matching what happens on the pitch.

  Manchester rivals City and United were level on points heading into the final day of the season, but the Sky Blues knew a win over Queens Park Rangers would secure them the title on goal difference.

  It seemed an easy enough task, but City found themselves trailing to 10-man QPR 2-1 in the second half. It was all about to end in devastation and tears for City until Edin Dzeko scored the equaliser at the death, followed by Sergio Aguero netting a stoppage-time goal to clinch the title from right under their red neighbours’ noses.

  The “Agueroooooooo!” moment will live on forever.

• Getty
  

  2009-10

  Chelsea won the Premier League title by a single point over runners-up Man Utd with a final day 8-0 victory over Wigan.

  Fate was always in the Blues’ hands, and though there was no dramatic Aguero moment, the Londoners’ victory meant that United were deprived of a fourth straight league win.

  2009-10 also saw Chelsea score 103 goals, a Premier League record at the time.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  2007-08

  United lost the most games out of a Premier League top four that involved Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, but it was ultimately them who were crowned English champions in 2008.

  Arsenal were favourites to win the league until their capitulation in spring where they lost to both United and Chelsea in just four weeks.

  And so, Chelsea and United were left to battle for Premier League glory – but Sir Alex Ferguson’s side kept their cool and won both their remaining games to finish ahead of the Blues by two points on the final day.

We predict the Black Stars' likely starting XI for their 2022 World Cup qualifying decider against the Super Eagles in Abuja on Tuesday

• Backpage
  

  GOALKEEPER – Joseph Wollacott

  Against Nigeria in Friday’s first leg, it was something of a surprise as Wollacott was maintained in the posts over Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Richard Ofori, who missed the recent Africa Cup of Nations finals due to injury. Following his good showing in Kumasi, another start for the England-based goalie will shock no one on Tuesday.

Advertisement

• Gettyimages
  

  RIGHT-BACK – Denis Odoi

  The former Belgium international was another unexpected face in Ghana’s XI at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. And just like Wollacott, a good showing has seemingly cemented his place for another start over Reading right-back Andy Yiadom.

• Backpagepix
  

  LEFT-BACK – Gideon Mensah

  In the absence of the injured Baba Rahman, Bordeaux left-back Mensah was highly tipped to play against Nigeria in the first leg, and so he did. His place in the line-up is not expected to change.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Gettyimages
  

  CENTRAL DEFENDER – Daniel Amartey

  The Leicester City centre-back was a commanding presence in central defence against the Super Eagles on Friday. Only an injury could likely keep him out of the team on Tuesday.

We independently choose all products featured on our site. We may earn a commission when you purchase something through the links provided.

Commemorating a year of top tier kits

As a monumental year of football kits draws to a close, GOAL takes a deep dive into all the very best kit releases of 2022. In one place. 

From statement shirts to fashion collabs. World Cup kits to the Premier League. Bundesliga to Serie A. Delivering the best of the best in the matter of kits. We've got 20 categories to present, so strap in and prepare to bare witness to the best 2022 had to offer.

Without any further delay, we introduce to you the GOAL 2022 Kit Awards. 

• The GOAL Kit Awards 2022

  Best Fashion Kit

  Venezia FC 2022-23 Home

  €90.00 at Venezia FC

  Honourable Mentions: Athens Kalithea Home, Japan x Nigo “For Japan”

  It’s something of a cliche to call Venezia the coolest club in the world now, but the team’s 2022-23 home kit only reinforced its credentials.

  Designed alongside fashion consultancy Bureau Borsche, the shirt combined a black base with orange and green stripes before metallic gold detailing took it to another level.

  The long sleeve version, in particular, has proven itself to be just as at home as a statement shirt as it is on the pitch.

Advertisement

• Best Collaboration Kit

  New Balance x AS Roma x Aries

  $44.99+ at New Balance

  Honourable Mentions: Stone Island x New Balance, Daily Paper x Ajax

  Building on its long-standing work with London-based label Aries, New Balance invited the brand to collaborate with AS Roma.

  The resulting capsule focused on a new home shirt for the Italian club – which was worn in a friendly against Yokohama F. Marinos – mixed the traditional Giallorossi colour scheme with a yellow stripe in a marbling effect.

  2022 was the year that football and fashion collaborations reached a new level, but it was Aries’ work with AS Roma that set the standard.

• Best Pre-Match Kit Collection

  PSG x Jordan Pre-Match Kit

  $70.00 at Nike

  Honourable Mentions: Real Madrid x Marvel, Arsenal Jamaica 

  While initially a shock, Jordan Brand has proved itself to be one of the best kit partners a team could have through its work with PSG.

  This season, the highlight of the partnership was the pre-match shirt, which came in a sleek black design. The jersey was covered with an abstract dark grey pattern while white detailing – including the iconic Jumpman logo – helped to finish the design.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Best World Cup Home Kit

  Japan 2022 Home Kit

  £70.00 at adidas

  Honourable Mentions: Germany, France

  The 2022 World Cup has been packed with some of the best designs in recent tournament memory, but it's Japan who ran away with the award for the best home kit.

  The country’s traditional blue design is covered with origami cranes, reflecting the national belief that making 1000 origami cranes results in a wish being granted. It clearly worked for Japan, who recorded historic wins against Germany and Spain during the World Cup.

Kylian Mbappe scored his 201st PSG goal to become their all-time top goalscorer in a back-and-forth win over mid-table Nantes on Saturday

Mbappe has probably never celebrated a routine finish with such vigour, the Paris Saint-Germain winger screaming in delight after smashing his record-breaking shot home to put his team up by two goals two minutes into stoppage time.

It was a strike of great personal significance for the 24-year-old, one that made him PSG's all-time top goalscorer in all competitions as he further etched his name into the Ligue 1 history books.

Not long after, PSG honoured him with fireworks and a trophy ceremony on the field – all the decadence one would expect from the Parc des Princes.

His goal was rather handy for Saturday's purposes, too, as it sealed a 4-2 victory that at times looked like it might escape PSG.

Lionel Messi got the Parisians going with a neat finish from close range for a 1-0 lead. Their second came a few minutes later, as Jaouen Hadjam bundled the ball into his own net.

But they never looked secure in their advantage. Ludovic Blas got the first for Nantes, beating Gianluigi Donnarumma at his near post off a sliced cross. The equaliser from Nantes followed shortly after, Ignatius Ganago deflecting the ball in from a corner.

PSG reclaimed the lead in the second half through a Danilo Pereira header. Mbappe added a second in stoppage time, an emphatic finish from close range to break the PSG all-time goalscoring record and secure three important points.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Parc des Princes…

• Getty Images
  

  WINNER: Kylian Mbappe

  There were equal parts joy and relief in Mbappe's face.

  The winger had tried and toiled to grab a goal, one that would make his PSG's all-time leading goalscorer. And for 91 minutes, it eluded him. Goalkeeper Alban Lefont judged his every move, anticipated every shot.

  But in the 92nd, Mbappe had his moment. He spun off a Nantes defender and thumped the ball in from close range for goal number 201.

  PSG's pre-prepared graphic flashed on the scoreboard, the stadium erupted in noise. It's the kind of moment that Mbappe came to PSG for, the Paris native soaking in the spotlight while setting another individual record.

  He's still only 24, an age that represents the beginning of many successful first-team careers for mere mortals. He could retire now and be an all-time French great.

  But, fortunately for his fans, he doesn't look like he'll be stopping the flow of goals anytime soon.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  LOSER: Gianluigi Donnarumma

  For all of his shot-stopping quality, Donnarumma is liable for an occasional mistake.

  And he made a particularly poor one on Saturday. Donnarumma was beaten far too easily at his near post for Nantes' first goal, failing to cover the front peg as Blas mishit a cross into the net. The goalie nearly fumbled in a second a few minutes later, spilling a shot from distance before PSG hacked the ball away.

  Donnarumma was significantly more composed after the break, making a couple of tidy saves that PSG cruised to a relatively comfortable win. Still, he had a significant hand in destabilizing PSG's lead.

  And after Keylor Navas departed for Nottingham Forest, Galtier doesn't have the luxury of another top-class option in the reserves, just in case…

• Getty
  

  WINNER: Lionel Messi

  It's all a bit easy for the Argentine at the moment.

  After a rough January, the World Cup winner has come alive. He had a hand in all three PSG goals against Marseille last week, and got himself on the scoresheet here, too. His opener wasn't the prettiest of strikes: Messi simply slipped into the box and turned in a deflected cross. But it was an important one, getting a slightly languid PSG team going.

  There was more to this Messi performance, the usual exploitation of impossible angles and nonexistent spaces. He blasted one narrowly over after PSG conceded. He had a free kick saved at full stretch. And his defence-splitting pass almost gave PSG a penalty.

  With Neymar out due to an ankle injury, Messi will need to continue to star for the Parisians.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  LOSER: PSG's injury list

  Galtier must wonder what he has to do to keep his players fit. it's been a miserable season of injuries for PSG. And after Neymar and Presnel Kimpembe were both lost to long-term issues, the manager must have thought it couldn't get any worse.

  But he would be wrong in that assumption. Nordi Mukiele and Marquinhos were both removed with knocks in the second half, leaving PSG without a fit senior right-back and with only one experienced centre-back.

  The two might not be out for long spells, but PSG face Bayern Munich in just four days in a crucial Champions League knockout tie. It's a game they need to be as ready as possible for. And they might now have to make do without two more presumptive starters.