PSG star Kylian Mbappe set to miss Champions League quarter-final

Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe is set to miss the club's UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash against Italian side Atalanta on August 12. The quarter-finals are all set to be played as knockout matches in a contained venue in Lisbon, following the adjusted tournament schedule in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The 21-year-old star suffered a "serious ankle injury" after he was fouled in the first half of PSG's victory against Saint-Etienne in the French Cup final last Friday. After the match, the club revealed that his injury will be assessed after 72 hours, and it appears that he has now been ruled out for their UCL quarter-final match.

In PSG's latest update, the club revealed that Mbappe is expected to be sidelined for about three weeks. Scans reportedly revealed that he suffered "an ankle sprain with damage to the external ligament." Nevertheless, they are optimistic that he will be available for the Champions League semi-finals on August 18 if PSG advances. The final match is scheduled to take place on August 23, also in Lisbon.

On Friday's match, Saint-Etienne defender Loic Perrin's foul sent Mbappe to the ground. He left the pitch in tears after a small commotion was ignited between the players of both teams. It was clear that his injury would leave him sidelined for sometime after he was seen wobbling back to the bench with crutches.

PSG returned to competitive action on Friday after having an extended lockdown holiday. Unlike the rest of Europe's top leagues which restarted in June, Ligue 1 decided to wrap up their season early. PSG was handed the title way back in April. They added more silverware to their trophy cabinet on Friday, after winning the French Cup despite Mbappe's injury setback.

There is no doubt that the upcoming match against Atalanta is very important for the team, as they are faced with the potential to add to their growing title haul this season. It remains to be seen if Mbappe's injury will become a major factor in determining the outcome of Europe's most prestigious club competition. Despite the injury, PSG still remains to be the favourite to win the quarter-final over Atalanta.