Carlo Ancelotti has identified Paris Saint-Germain duo Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe as the players who can succeed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when they retire. The 59-year-old Italian made these declarations ahead of Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League clash between his side and the Parc des Princes outfit.
Momentarily, Ancelotti and his men sit behind Group C table-toppers Liverpool with five points while PSG directly trails them with a point deficit after three games. As a result, the upcoming clash poses to be very important after the two teams played out a 2-2 draw in the first of the tie at Parc des Princes.
While acknowledging the magnitude of the clash Ancelotti accessed the chances of his team as well as that of PSG ahead of Tuesday's outing.
"It's an important game and can be decisive for both teams," the Napoli head coach told Telefoot.
"We ended up in a very difficult group with Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool. The result can be decisive for the future of our side in the competition, but the same goes for Paris.
"We need an extraordinary performance in order to get the victory because we don't have the kind of exceptional players they do throughout the squad.
"They [PSG] have lacked experience in the important moments of the Champions League, but the team is stronger this season and the players have more belief in themselves," Ancelotti continued.
"They know that they can win the Champions League this term. This is a game that can decide the destinies of these two teams."
In addition, the former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich manager revealed that both Mbappe and Neymar are on track to be the heirs of Messi and Ronaldo when they hang their boots. Following their move to the French capital club last season, the duo have formed a formidable attacking partnership. Currently, they have contributed their quota to ensure that PSG is on a 12-game winning streak in Ligue 1 this season.
"I think Kylian Mbappé and Neymar can succeed Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the global football landscape," Ancelotti declared.
"If Kylian doesn't win the Ballon d'Or this year, he certainly will over the next few seasons.
"Neymar has a new position and is at the heart of the team now. His new placement allows him to be more dangerous and effective for his team," Ancelotti concluded.
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