Topical subjects were not lacking this Saturday for Thomas Tuchel. At the press conference on the eve of the reception of Bordeaux in Ligue 1 this Sunday (9 p.m.), the Parisian coach came back on the defeat at Dortmund (2-1) in the round of 16 first leg of the League of champions and what followed: the words of Neymar and especially the controversy related to the dissemination of images of the birthday party of Cavani, Icardi and Di Maria.
What match do you expect against Bordeaux?
THOMAS TUCHEL. I'm waiting for a match with a very defensive Bordeaux team to make counterattacks. It's never easy to start over after a loss. This is the challenge. We have to show immediately that we are capable of making a more intensive match (than in Dortmund).
Should we already prepare for the return match against Dortmund on March 11?
Yes and no. I have the impression that all the players want to show… Yesterday (Friday) would have been a good day to make the return match. It's in our heads, in the players' heads. But at the same time, we must prepare for the Ligue 1 matches and the Coupe de France match in Lyon ( Editor's note: in the semi-finals on March 4 ) to regain confidence. So we can't think too much about the return match but it's in our head.
Neymar said he wanted to replay earlier after his February injury. Can you tell us how the decision was made not to play him before Dortmund?
There is nothing to explain. As I always said, it was a discussion between the doctors and me, the coach. And then we make a decision. It's like that.
Wasn't that a mistake?
But imagine if he had been allowed to play, that the injury had worsened and that he was absent for three months. It would be the same question to ask us if we hadn't made a mistake by playing it again! You can believe me, really: we have turned this decision in our heads. I would like Ney to play every game. Do I like playing against Lyon or Dijon without him? Not at all. But that was the decision we made. Now he still has to play to regain confidence and regain his abilities.
PSG Express
The essential newsletter for Parisian supportersI'm registering
Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more
Are the next four games an opportunity to prepare to replace Meunier and Verratti suspended against Dortmund?
Clearly, yes. To replace Meunier ( Editor's note: ill, the right-back is also forfeited against Bordeaux ), it's not a big secret: there are Colin Dagba and Thilo Kehrer. Colin is injured, which means that Thilo (Kehrer) will play.
Cold and after watching the match on video, what didn't work against Dortmund?
For me, a match against Dortmund, in Dortmund, it's difficult to be able to analyze it too much on video. Why ? Because the energy in the stadium, the atmosphere and the context, you can only feel it on the pitch. It's a bit the same as in Liverpool. It creates a team that plays more aggressive than normal. It creates an even more courageous team. For me, we lacked determination. We didn't have the same as Dortmund to win this match. We did not adapt to the situations. It was not our best match but it was not a horrible match. They had played 7 games, the 14 of us. We will try to improve.
You had regretted the image of the club given by Neymar's birthday. What do you think of the episode of the evening's videos for Cavani, Icardi and Di Maria?
I was really surprised by this video. Really. We talked about it internally. And it has to stay internal.
We were surprised not to see Paredes in the group in Dortmund. What happened ?
It is a sporting decision. We arrived in Dortmund with Verratti, Gueye, Marquinhos and Kouassi. Four players for two positions in the middle but with Kouassi who can also play in defense. Not to take Leo (Paredes), it was the decision for the others, to create a bench with all the possibilities for all the positions. It's very difficult to choose 16 players for a match like this. It was the choice.
Do you feel your players invested for the return match?
I feel like my guys are very, very competitive. Especially if they are in an uncomfortable situation and less confident. When things happen after a loss, they are more competitive than other players. They want to show and it is exactly the state of mind that we need. We had a similar match last season at Anfield against Liverpool than in Dortmund. An unsatisfactory match, where we had missed things. We left with the same feeling. But we showed a reaction here (2-1 win at the Park). We are in the same situation. We need the same reaction.
Do you still feel supported by your management, in particular Leonardo?
You can be sure that we are not happy with this image of the holiday. I was very surprised. But we talked together with the team and it remains internal. I will not stop giving my opinion. But I can't give advice to the club. It is not my role.