Special envoy to Dortmund
PSG misses the mark and will have to tear themselves away in three weeks in Paris. Overall disappointing, the players of Thomas Tuchel, in an unusual 3-4-3, lost on the field of Dortmund on Tuesday in the first knockout round of the Champions League. Back on March 11, at the Parc des Princes. Neymar's goal for the capital's club, on a golden service from Kylian Mbappé. Doubled by the Erling Haaland phenomenon for the BVB.
Long harmless, PSG disappoints in Dortmund
We expected a fiery match, a fiery duel between two forward-facing teams. We witnessed a rather closed first period, with Borussia Dortmund who made the Parisian rearguard shudder on several occasions, in cons, and often with the swift Sancho baguette (14th, 24th, 27th, 35th). Parisian side, not much to get your teeth into: two strikes at the break, both from Neymar, and both… on a free kick. The first, as early as the 10th minute, almost hit the mark. He passed close to Bürki's post. If the possession was Parisian (57%), the danger was German. Too much easy ball loss in midfield, too much space between the lines, not enough effort in front ... Feverish and harmless, the Parisians were not there. And again, Verratti was doing the job to fill the gaps and were to be rewarded with an extraordinary return to the full penalty area in front of Can (21st). 0-0 at the break.
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Same physiognomy on recovery, no change on either side. Still some interesting situations for Borussia, controlled by the saving returns of Verratti (50th) and Marquinhos (57th), a center set back from Hakimi for… nobody (49th). But still no Parisian opportunity. It was going to change. With Mbappé who asked Bürki (65th, 66th) twice in a row. Parisian highlight. But… German goal. Center of Hakimi, strike struck by Guerreiro, Haaland was hanging out there (1-0, 69th). The Signal Iduna Park and its famous yellow wall pushed the men in yellow even stronger. The moment chosen by Mbappé to play the German defense and give caviar to Neymar, all alone against the empty goal (1-1, 75th). The perfect heist? It was without counting on this devil of Haaland, author of a cannon shot at 20 meters. Unstoppable. Full skylight (2-1, 77th). Neymar touched wood (81st) and still made Dortmund (87th), Marquinhos too, on a long shot in stoppages. In vain (2-1 final score)…
Haaland, unstoppable
Statistical incongruity. A football phenomenon. Erling Haaland, 19 years old, never ceases to impress. The numbers first: 11 goals in seven outings in the colors of BVB 09. 10 goals is his total in the Champions League since the start of the season, counting his achievements with Salzburg. The numbers, and the rest. His moving physique could suggest a frustrated and clumsy player. It is quite the opposite. Fast, powerful, technically safe and full of cheek, it has all the paraphernalia of the modern attacker. The Parisian rear guard paid to see. Haaland, the birth of a cador.
Everything remains to be done, but ...
Nothing is lost. Everything has to be done. Do better. Much better. Because the account was not there in Dortmund. Tactically, physically, PSG will have suffered in this meeting. We will have to show a completely different face in three weeks, at the Parc des Princes, during the return match. More aggressiveness and solidarity. It is at this price that the club of the capital will find the quarter-finals for the first time since 2016. The 3-4-3 imagined by coach Tuchel did not have the expected effects. Some players have also failed individually. We haven't seen the offensive trio (Neymar, Mbappé, Di Maria), not enough. But ultimately, there is only one goal difference. A small goal. Hope is allowed. Not for this PSG. But Paris is better than that ... An appointment is made on March 11. It will be without Thomas Meunier and Marco Verratti, warned this Tuesday.
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