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PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) will face high-flying Atalanta in their one-legged UEFA Champions League quarterfinal at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on Wednesday night.
The Serie A club scored a whopping 98 goals in their domestic league this season. They pose the biggest challenge for PSG in over five months and can spoil the French champions' hopes of making their first Champions League semifinal since 1994-95.
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The Ligue 1 ended in March as the COVID-19 pandemic forced a premature closure of the French domestic league season.
PSG, who were subsequently awarded the title, have only played four competitive games since. Atalanta, on the other hand, resumed their Serie A campaign in June and secured a creditable third-placed finish courtesy their goal-scoring exploits.
Both the teams rely on their goalscorers to do their bidding on the pitch, and it is expected that their Champions League quarterfinal meeting may not be any different in this respect.
With the stage set for two highly entertaining sides to clash for the first time in their history, we take a look at five key players from both teams to keep an eye on.
Five key players to watch out for in PSG's Champions League quarterfinal clash with Atalanta:
#5: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
A 21-year-old player picking up an injury before a crucial game might not be worrying news for a team unless that team is PSG, and the injured player is Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe, who won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot this season, suffered an ankle injury following a horrific tackle from St Etienne captain Loic Perrin in PSG's French Cup final win. He has since made an impressive recovery, and as per latest reports, could make an appearance from the bench against Atalanta.
He was in an incredible form before his injury. Even if he makes a cameo against Atalanta, he is likely to have a significant impact in the game and add to his tally of 30 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions this season.
#4: Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
In the absence of Josip Ilicic, Atalanta's top scorer in their debut Champions League campaign, it is expected that Duvan Zapata will likely fill in his shoes. Though Zapata has only scored one goal in the competition thus far, the Columbian striker was in fine form in Serie A and might prove to be a handful for PSG's defenders.
Zapata has the highest goal involvement of all Atalanta players, scoring 18 goals in the Serie A and setting up six more. He is known for his tenacity in the final third and provides a much needed physical presence for La Dea.
Also See: Atalanta vs PSG: 5 key battles to watch out for | UEFA Champions League 2019-20.
#3: Marquinhos (PSG)
On Wednesday night, Marquinhos will probably be the best defender on the pitch. The Brazilian has been at the heart of the PSG defence for six seasons now and has emerged through the shadows of his more illustrious compatriot Thiago Silva.
Silva was considered one of the best defenders of the last decade, but the player who will turn 36 next month has lost much of his pace and physicality in recent times. Thus it will be up to Marquinhos to step up and handle the brunt of the Atalanta's rampant attackers.
Marquinhos can also play as a defensive midfielder if required, but it is expected that he will start as a central defender against PSG. He will likely have to play a crucial role in defence against the third-highest goal-scoring team in Europe this season.
#2: Alejandro Gomez (Atalanta)
In crucial fixtures like a Champions League quarterfinal, players often expect their captain to lead from the front; in Papu Gomez, Atalanta have the perfect player to do so.
The Argentine personifies the electrical and free-flowing style of his team's play and is often the wellspring of attacking opportunities for the Italian side. The 32-year-old attacker has been at the forefront of Atalanta's rise in recent years and finished this season as the top assist provider in the Serie A with 16.
Though he has not been as influential in Atalanta's debut Champions League campaign, having only produced a return of one goal and two assists in eight appearances, he can single-handedly turn a game on its head on his day.
With Ilicic out of the squad, Gomez will have to be at his best on Wednesday, which might including scoring against PSG. He's got the game to run the show against the French champions, but will he be able to perform when it matters? We'll have to wait and see.
#1: Neymar (PSG)
All eyes will be on PSG's superstar forward Neymar when the French champions play Atalanta on Wednesday as the Brazilian will look to take his side one step closer to their long-cherished dream of winning the Champions League.
The game has a special significance for the player as he has had to wait a long time for a moment like this. For the last two seasons, injuries prevented him from featuring in the knockout stage of the Champions League; on the last two such occasions, he could only watch from the stands as PSG crashed out.
This time, with Mbappe a doubt, Neymar will have to shoulder the bulk of PSG's attacking burden to keep his club's title hopes alive.
He has tallied 19 goals and 8 assists in 24 appearances for PSG this season. With his immense talent and current form, we can expect a Man of the Match performance from the talented Brazilian player.
Neymar is no stranger to clutch performances. Who can forget his key role in Barcelona's 6-1 demolition of his present team PSG in the Champions League Round of 16 three years ago after the Catalan club were hammered 0-4 in the first leg?.
However, Atalanta may prove to be tricky opponents for PSG who are coming off a long break. So having a world-class player like Neymar might prove to be the difference for the Ligue 1 winners.
Also See: Atalanta vs PSG prediction, preview, team news and more | UEFA Champions League 2019-20.
