Konaté ready for PSG: "They have their weapons, we have ours"
Julian Nagelsmann's roten Bullen head to Paris for their third duel with the French league giants in less than 100 days.
PSG trainer Thomas Tuchel gets weapons Neymar and Kylian Mbappé back for the crucial return leg.
Though Leipzig are missing several key players at the back, one very in-form defender expresses confidence.
An injury and recent dip in form for French defender Dayot Upamecano must come to end if the German Red Bulls are to punch through to the knockout stages of this years UEFA Champions League. Luckily for Leipzig, Upamecano's slide has been largely offset by the spectacular form of one of his countrymen.
PSG trainer Thomas Tuchel gets weapons Neymar and Kylian Mbappé back for the crucial return leg.
Though Leipzig are missing several key players at the back, one very in-form defender expresses confidence.
Twenty-one-year old defender Ibrahima Konaté has recently strung together some especially good performances. The youngster looks forward to visiting his home-town and bringing back a victory.
"Almost all of my friends and family are PSG fans," Konaté told German footballing magazine Kicker, "but I can't take that into account."
When asked about how he hoped to contain the likes of Neymar and Mbappé, Konaté simply said, "they have their weapons, we have ours. Tomorrow it will simply be eleven against eleven."
PSG has not yet lost at home to a Bundesliga club. In the 2019/20 cycle, they eliminated German contenders Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig from the competition. Asked about the upcoming duel with the familiar foe, RB trainer Julian Nagelsmann noted, "I expect PSG to perform as if it's a final."
Nagelsmann will surely miss fullbacks Lukas Klostermann and Marcel Halstenberg when he draws up his defensive plans. Defensive midfielder Konrad Laimer would also be most useful in this case.
"The personnel situation hasn't gotten any better," Nagelsmann remarked, "Especially in terms of the defense, where we are running on our last legs."
Nordi Mukiele and Benjamin Henrichs, both questionable due to lingering injuries, still boarded the charter plane to Paris.