It is not the ball that circulates the fastest at PSG but fear. It spreads to all floors and sticks to the crampons of players when the Champions League returns. From their first steps at Signal Iduna Park, they seemed paralyzed by the event, cut in their tracks, unable to let go, behind, in the middle, in front. Everyone is nervous but especially the strong men.
Thomas Tuchel, changing systems and applying a 3-4-3 he hadn't used at the start of a match since April 2019, seemed to panic. Thiago Silva, the captain of all national conquests since 2012 but also of all European fiascos, is a port of anxiety on his own, known for defending by retreating under pressure. President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, constantly fears the epidermic reaction of Qatar, the club's shareholder. He must report to the emir in person and even if they have been friends for a long time, the leader is under the continuous supervision of his tutelage.
Each European elimination adds a layer of stress
Neymar, him, disputed this round of 16 to go without much rhythm, after four games to make the dead end. According to those around him, the decision to leave him cool to make sure he shows up valid in Dortmund is a direct one for Leonardo, the sporting director. The Brazilian, who challenges this version, would have been scared to relive the scenario of the last two seasons when his compatriot only participated in one of the four matches in the round of 16, against Real Madrid and Manchester United, injured in the walk every time.
The vertigo contaminates some of the followers, fearing the trip to Manchester United last season, without Neymar or Edinson Cavani, injured. After the victory (2-0), Kylian Mbappé at the top of his 20 years had wanted to chase this spell by launching: "We must stop being afraid". This climate of anxiety encompasses all areas of the club, where paranoia and the cult of secrecy are used as a guide. The PSG distributes the interviews with its players drop by drop, in a strict and supervised framework, with the fear that one or the other does not spread too easily.
In their contract, Parisians already have an ethics bonus which governs their actions and their controlled speech. It is a corseted club, each European elimination of which adds a layer of stress. He can still stop this vicious circle by qualifying on March 11 against the Germans. He then won against Dortmund but above all conquered his endemic fear.
