PSG confirm Kylian Mbappe and Marquinhos injury boosts ahead of Real Madrid clash

Unai Emery has confirmed that Kylian Mbappe and Marquinhos will be ready to return to action when Real Madrid visit Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday (6 March) while the Spanish manager was also positive about the availability of Javier Pastore.

The news is a much-needed boost for PSG fans after last week they learned that Neymar will miss the second leg of the Champions League last-16 against Los Blancos after the former Barcelona ace fractured his fifth metatarsal during his side's 3-0 win over Marseille in Ligue 1 on 25 February.

Marquinhos also suffered a thigh injury in that game with Mbappe setting alarms bells ringing at the Parc des Princes three days later after being forced off with another ankle problem when PSG defeated Marseille in a Coupe de France clash.

Marquinhos and Mbappe missed the 2-0 win over Troyes as a result but Emery confirmed in his press conference than the two regulars starters as well as Javier Pastore are likely to be ready to return for the crucial visit of Real.

"We trained on Sunday, and we have one more training session on Monday afternoon. Marquinhos, Verratti, Mbappe and Cavani have all resumed training with the squad, unlike Pastore. I hope he will train with the team today. If he does, everyone will be available except Neymar," Emery said in the press conference as quoted by PSG official website.

Neymar could therefore be PSG's only major absentee for the second leg with the Ligue 1 side looking to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the reverse fixture played at the Santiago Bernabeu to progress through to the quarter-finals.

The positive news from the treatment room will give Emery a selection headache with former Real star Angel Di Maria tipped to fill the gap left by Neymar in his attack.

"When one player is missing, it opens a door for someone else. Tomorrow, all our players will be important – the starters and those who come on during the game," the former Sevilla and Valencia manager added.

Presnel Kimpembe and Thiago Silva will fight for a place in the heart of the back-line alongside Marquinhos while Emery was coy on whether he will pick Lassana Diarra or Thiago Motta to partner Adrien Rabiot and Marco Verratti in the middle of the park.

"The central defenders? That's a very difficult choice, because all three are playing very well. We will see how Marquinhos is feeling and decide on Tuesday," Emery said when asked about whether Silva will recover his place in the starting line-up after Kimpembe started at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Both [Lassana Diarra and Thiago Motta] are ready to play. They have very different profiles, but both have the quality to play. They both have a lot of experience, they have both played in matches like this. For me, it's easy. I will make a choice, but it's possible that both will play on Tuesday."