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PSG can ‘beat anyone with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe’, claims Rio Ferdinand after stunning Atalanta

The French forward shone as a substitute to turn the game in Thomas Tuchel’s side’s favour and reach the Champions League semi-finals

Jack Rathborn
Thursday 13 August 2020 09:20 BST
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Champions League quarter-final draw

Paris Saint-Germain can “beat anyone with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe”, claims Rio Ferdinand after the French side’s dramatic victory over Atalanta to advance to the Champions League semi-finals.

Trailing 1-0 heading into the 90th minute, Marquinhos and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting struck to deny the Italians and book a place in the final four.

Neymar assisted the equaliser before sending Mbappe in behind Atalanta’s back line, with the Frenchman squaring for Choupo-Moting to snatch victory in stoppage time.

And former Manchester United defender Ferdinand maintains the two superstars can handle any side they meet in the semi-finals or final.

“You have a chance to beat anyone when you have Neymar and Mbappe,” Ferdinand claimed on BT Sport.

Neymar and Mbappe combined to inspire PSG to victory (Getty)

“They are two of the best players on the planet.”

Ferdinand insists the combination is crucial to PSG’s chances, despite Neymar attempting to carry the French champions with Mbappe starting on the bench after a recent injury.

Thomas Tuchel introduced Mbappe after an hour for the ineffective Pablo Sarabia, with Ferdinand raving about his “decision making”.

“That’s what I love about Mbappe, the decision making, the skills, he makes the right decisions,” Ferdinand added.

“Before the game we said Neymar needed to take the game by the scruff of the neck and he did do that to an extent but his final ball and decision making just wasn’t there.”

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