Gianluigi Buffon believes Paris Saint-Germain could struggle without Neymar when they come up against a revitalised Manchester United side in Champions League on Tuesday night.

The 41-year-old is expected to start in goal for PSG when they play the first leg of the last-16 clash at Old Trafford but Neymar will be missing from the starting XI after being ruled out with a foot injury. The Parisian club will also be without striker Edinson Cavani for game after the Uruguayan limped off in their 1-0 win over Bordeaux on Saturday. While PSG still have Kylian Mbappe up front for Tuesday’s clash, Buffon is concerned that it might not be enough firepower to deal with an in-form United side.

‘I think this is a problem for us,’ Buffon told CNN Sport. ‘I’m not sure if it’s a big problem or a little one. I hope it’s only a small problem and that we nevertheless as a team thrive without him. This would give us great strength and confidence. But I must say that without a player of Neymar’s calibre, it’s going to be heavy going. Particularly because in the last two or three months he’s been in excellent condition – both physically and mentally – and he would have been of enormous help.

‘Nevertheless, we have to do our best in order not to have any regrets and play the quarter-finals and semi-finals with Neymar back. And this would be the best present we could give to him. I’m sure he would return the favour by playing in those two matches.’ PSG could also be without Marco Verratti for the game after he picked up a new injury in training last week.