Lionel Messi should be fit to face Bayern Munich, says PSG coach Christophe Galtier

Lionel Messi suffered a hamstring strain in PSG's defeat to Marseille, but is expected to be ready for the Champions League

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2023 by fourfourtwo.com

Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier says he expects Lionel Messi to be fit for his side's Champions League last-16 clash at home to Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Messi suffered a hamstring strain in PSG's 2-1 defeat to Marseille in the French Cup on Wednesday night and will miss this weekend's trip to Monaco in Ligue 1.

It has been reported in France that the Argentine attacker is an injury doubt for the game against Bayern too, but Galtier has played down those fears.

"Leo felt muscle fatigue, he will resume training on Monday. He is not uncertain for Bayern," Galtier said at a press conference on Friday.

"We know the importance of Leo in our game. In his absence, we'll have to play in a different way with a more solid, more compact team structure.

"Obviously going to Monaco without Leo is always annoying. Injuries happen when there is a sequence of games with a World Cup in the middle of the season. It's up to me to have both a successful team while injecting freshness."

PSG are still without Kylian Mbappe, with the France forward expected to be sidelined for another two weeks with a thigh problem.

But Achraf Hakimi is availble again after recovering from a hamstring injury.