Unai Emery Hopeful on Kylian Mbappe Injury, PSG CEO Praises Neymar

Paris Saint-Germain manager Unai Emery is hopeful the injury picked up by Kylian Mbappe against Marseille on Wednesday in the 3-0 Coupe de France win is "nothing serious." 

With the return leg of their UEFA Champions League showdown with Real Madrid looming on Tuesday, PSG have a number of injury worries, with Neymar to miss the match at the Parc des Princes after suffering a fractured metatarsal against Marseille in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

In Wednesday's game, Mbappe was withdrawn at half-time, prompting fears he will miss next week's match as well. But Emery is feeling positive about the youngster.

"Kylian took a knock to his ankle and asked to not play in the second half," he said, per Jonathan Johnson of ESPN FC. "I hope that it turns out to be nothing serious. The players who are injured, such as Neymar, Mbappe and Marquinhos, I hope to have them back as quickly as possible."

As noted by Johnson, it's unlikely Mbappe will feature in the game against Troyes in Ligue 1 on Saturday:

With Neymar set to miss the match with Madrid—in which PSG are seeking to overcome a 3-1 deficit—there would have been an extra onus on Mbappe to make his mark on the game alongside Edinson Cavani in the final third.

The 19-year-old was part of the summer recruitment drive that included the arrivals of Neymar and Dani Alves. 

As noted by Scouted Football, since his arrival at PSG, he's consistently made major contributions in the final third of the field:

PSG will be hoping he's in a position to do so again next week when the European champions come to town.

The club's president and chief executive Nasser Al-Khelaifi has dismissed suggestions he's frustrated at Neymar's injury and has praised the player and his camp for pulling together.

"You are always looking for controversy," he said, per Johnson. "We remain very strong. I thank his father, who wants to stay with us until the Real Madrid match. We are a family and he is a gentleman. He was here, at the game, he is there for his son and his club, he is a great man."

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PSG have confirmed Neymar is set for surgery on the injury he picked up on Sunday and will miss the Madrid match:

When asked about the surgery, Al-Khelaifi said it was the only option for Neymar.

"We are very sad about this news," he said, per AS. "But it [surgery] is the best decision for him, for the club, for the national team of Brazil. We do not have a choice.

He also said the decision was taken with a view to Neymar playing a part in some potential key matches later in the campaign. "We do not want to waste time, so we hope he will be ready for the quarter-finals of the Champions League," Al-Khelaifi added.

While PSG remain on course for a domestic treble after their Coupe de France triumph, the Champions League is the competition this expensively assembled side will be judged on.

The acquisitions of Neymar and Mbappe were with a view to becoming the best side in European football, although there's a fair chance their quest to reach that pinnacle this season could be over on Tuesday. Emery will hope he has at least one of his summer signings to call upon in this huge encounter.