Sports

Mbappe’s Champions League hopes in jeopardy after ankle injury

Madrid Desk, Jul 25 (efe-epa).- Kylian Mbappe’s participation in the Uefa Champions League this year hinges on the result of medical checks Saturday for an ankle injury he picked up in the Coupe de France final.

The French forward came off the pitch half an hour into the final against Saint Etienne after a bad tackle from Loic Perrin, for which he was shown red.

Mbappe was in obvious pain and limped to the locker room for examination before returning to the sidelines on crutches to watch PSG lift the trophy with a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Neymar Jr.

It was PSG’s first competitive match since Ligue 1 was brought to an early halt in March due to the coronavirus, one of the only major European football leagues not to postpone proceedings.

PSG were crowned champions of the league.

Mbappe had been due to undergo a medical test on Friday but PSG doctors decided to wait until swelling around his ankle subsided.

PSG defender Thiago Silva said after the match: “We’re sad for Kylian and happy to have the trophy at the same time. We hope he’ll recover as quickly as possible, because he’s indispensable for us.”

The best outcome for the France star would be that he sits out the League Cup finals against Lyon next week.

Coach Thomas Tuchel will hope that the injury does not rule the player out of the Champions League, which is due to be played as a knockout tournament in Portugal in mid-August.

PSG have a tough quarter-final against Atalanta slated for 12 August.

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