Both PSG and Real Madrid are rebuilding their injured stars ahead of the eight-finals. Will Benzema and Neymar play with Ramos?

Two hot candidates for the Champions League title, PSG and Real Madrid, face off in the Champions League semi-finals. But going into Tuesday’s duel, both coaches must pray that their stars are as fit as possible.

PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino received some pretty unpleasant news at the end of November. Due to an ankle injury, Neymar was out of the game and according to early forecasts he was expected to miss the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

However, according to the latest reports from France, Neymar was finally able to be fit for an extremely important match. He has already trained with the team and will not be missing from Pochettino’s nomination.

However, it is not very likely that he will be in the starting line-up right away. Given his lack of play, it could even be counterproductive, although his ability can never be underestimated.

But the injury will deprive us of another PSG star and we won’t see a very spicy clash. Former captain and one of Real Madrid’s biggest icons, Sergio Ramos, is out due to a calf injury and will not feature in at least the first leg, with a question mark over the rematch played in less than a month’s time.

Carlo Ancelotti brought a full squad to Paris, so he doesn’t have to deal with similar problems. At least at first glance on paper. Left-back Ferland Mendy has missed the last three games and it was uncertain whether a muscle injury would keep him out of the eighth round.

Real Madrid, however, did everything they could to get the French midfielder fit and succeeded. By all accounts, he is 100% ready to start, which is great news given the veteran Marcelo’s poor performance.

More importantly, however, is the news regarding Karim Benzema. Although it’s not definite yet. The team’s biggest star and main sniper has been out since January 23, and his thigh injury didn’t look serious at first, but Valdebebas miscalculated that. Benzema hasn’t started since then, missing duels with Bilbao, Granada and Villarreal.

At the moment it is still uncertain whether he will start, with a final decision likely to be made a few hours before the game. He flew to the French capital with the team, according to several sources he is ready to play. Other sources say it’s fifty-fifty. Ancelotti, however, said that as long as there is minimal risk of injury recurrence, he will not undergo it.

Los Blancos are facing tough battles as well as the La Liga title and then a Champions League rematch with PSG and losing their workhorse for an extended period would be tantamount to a disaster. But playing with and without Benzema is as different as night and day, the French sniper already has 24 goals and 9 assists and is having arguably the best season of his career.

An extremely exciting and anticipated duel will heat up at Princes Park on Tuesday from 9pm. Who will bring a better starting position to Madrid?

Source: Twitter, Livesport