‘Mbappe was the one who changed it – Neymar needed him’: PSG’s dramatic comeback win was down to super sub Kylian, insists Glenn Hoddle as Rio Ferdinand says French champions can ‘beat anyone’ with ‘two of the best players on the planet’
- Kylian Mbappe came off the bench to inspire PSG into Champions League semis
- PSG trailed to Atalanta before scoring two injury-time goals to claim victory
- Glenn Hoddle felt Mbappe outperformed Neymar and made the difference
- Rio Ferdinand agreed but said with those two that PSG could beat any team
- REPORT: PSG in the semis after Mbappe masterclass seals comeback win
Kylian Mbappe outshone Neymar as he came off the bench to inspire Paris Saint-Germain to a dramatic late comeback against Atalanta to book their place in the Champions League semi-final, insisted Glenn Hoddle.
PSG looked certain to endure more heartbreak in Europe’s marquee competition with Atalanta leading in the dying embers of the match until Marquinhos and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored in injury time.
All eyes had been on Neymar at the beginning of the match but Hoddle believes PSG’s victory was solely down to super sub Mbappe despite the Frenchman only being fit enough to play the final 30 minutes.
Kylian Mbappe outshone Neymar as he inspired PSG to dramatic late comeback over Atalanta
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored a late winner after being set up by Mbappe on Thursday
Glenn Hoddle hailed the impact of super sub Mbappe and said he was better than Neymar
The 21-year-old was only half match-fit after recovering from an ankle injury just in time to feature – and Hoddle couldn’t help but hail his impact after the final whistle.
‘Mbappe was the one who changed it – Neymar needed him,’ Hoddle said.
‘Neymar’s cutting edge wasn’t there but it’s the run off the ball, no one was making the movement [before Mbappe came on]. Mbappe was so sharp.’
Hoddle’s fellow BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand was also in no doubt as to who the plaudits should go to after the match, adding: ‘That’s what I love about Mbappe, the decision making, the skills, he makes the right decisions.’
Atalanta had taken the lead through Mario Pasalic in the 27th minute but Mbappe’s introduction on the hour mark changed the whole course of the match as two late strikes broke the hearts of the Serie A side – who had been making their first ever appearance in a Champions League quarter-final.
Marquinhos equalised in injury time before Choupo-Moting completed the turnaround
Neymar and Mbappe celebrate together after booking spot in Champions League semi-final
Rio Ferdinand believes with those two firing, PSG are capable of beating any team in the world
Neymar set up Marquinhos for the equaliser and was generally good on the night – bar squandering an early chance that he would’ve expected to bury – but Ferdinand and Hoddle felt it was Mbappe who stole the show, having watched him play an instrumental role in PSG’s winning goal.
Ferdinand said: ‘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.’
‘That final ball, that final shot, the final pass wasn’t there,’ Hoddle agreed. ‘Mbappe was the one for me, not Neymar. Neymar did need that game.’
Despite feeling that Neymar was not quite at his best, Ferdinand went on to suggest that this could be PSG’s best chance to finally deliver the Champions League trophy.
He added: ‘You have a chance to beat anyone when you have Neymar and Mbappe. They are two of the best players on the planet.’
Neymar played generally well but missed a sitter in first half of the quarter-final match
PSG boss Thomas Tuchel hugged Mbappe after he played a starring role in the historic victory
Atalanta players looked distraught at full-time after chucking away one-goal lead in injury time