Injured in the shoulder against Stade Rennais on Friday, Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Joao Neves should be available for the Champions League playoff first leg.

PSG experienced a difficult evening in Rennes on Friday. Beaten by Stade Rennais (3-1), the Parisian club is at the center of attention after the comments made by Ousmane Dembele after the match. Additionally, Luis Enrique had to deal with the injury departure of Joao Neves, who hurt his shoulder on Rennes' second goal.

Does this call into question his presence for the Champions League playoff first leg against AS Monaco on Tuesday? According to information from L'Equipe, the Portuguese player's presence for the trip to the Principality "is not in question at this stage." He should be available against AS Monaco. More fear than harm, then, for the Parisian midfielder.

The importance of this news must be understood in context. Neves is one of the most important players in Enrique's system. He is a box-to-box midfielder with attacking presence who also performs defensively.

Enrique's system at PSG relies heavily on having a starting 11 filled with versatile players who can rotate positions throughout the match, depending on what the game requires and what the opposing team proposes.

Neves has been used on more than one occasion as a right back, in addition to covering every position in midfield. Even in isolated, less common situations, we have seen him function as a "false 9," the position that Ousmane Dembele made "famous."

Considering that the Rouge et Bleu club is already eliminated from the Coupe de France and lost their last Ligue 1 match against Rennes, which placed RC Lens at the top of the standings, this news carries more weight because Enrique and his coaching staff need to regain positive momentum. A solid victory against Monaco would calm the waters, and with Neves on the field, it is more likely to be achieved.

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