The last time he saw a Champions League quarter-final from the edge of the field, Kylian Mbappé eliminated him with Monaco. But Thomas Tuchel would be delighted to try again not with Dortmund but with PSG this time. The German coach will focus most of the looks this Wednesday evening (9 pm), after his erratic management of the first leg and several months without real thread.
A cloakroom divided about it
Like all the technicians of the world, Tuchel is overtaken by the usury of power, the Republic of the players and the resentment of the replacements. But the coach also seems to be the victim of his own management weaknesses. If he also has his supporters, some internally regret his lack of expertise with the stars, from Kylian Mbappé to Neymar via Edinson Cavani, the idol of the Park. He is more comfortable with erased players.
Above all, according to a few intimates from the locker room, Tuchel season 2 has nothing to do with Tuchel season 1. The hug therapy at the start has given way to a desire for firmness. Something to confuse the workforce. “The first year, Tuchel was nice. In the second year, he changed, suddenly becoming more severe and bossy. With the players, you cannot change in this way, they do not accept it ”, breath, doubtful, close to the club.
In recent weeks, his management of the Thiago Silva case questions. Unable to advance to Dortmund after playing 61 minutes in Dijon and 45 in Amiens, the captain is about to start the return leg without a minute from PSG-Bordeaux on February 23. He was not able to compete in the outward leg with a little competition in the legs, would he be able to play the return without? Unless Tuchel prefers to avoid the conflict with the club's third salary, close to power? In terms of communication, the coach remains brilliant, but sometimes lacks clarity on major subjects: Neymar's injury, the weight of Mbappé, the Icardi-Cavani competition, 4-4-2, Leandro Paredes left in Paris at the 'go…
An uncertain future
Obviously, it all depends on the return match. A qualification will give Tuchel a break. But the shareholder will want more and it is still the semi-final stage that is hoped for by Qatar after the failures of Carlo Ancelotti, Laurent Blanc - quarterfinals - and Unai Emery - 8th finals. Tuchel, himself, left the competition in the round of 16 last season on a pitiful elimination against Manchester United (3-1).
A qualification is awaited by his bosses this Wednesday at the end of a service removed and pocketed. His strategy at Signal Iduna Park surprised with this fairly defensive 3-4-3. "The owners of the club would like PSG to impose its game rather than adapting to the opponent as was the case in this match with the change of game system," said one close to the locker room. A change announced very late in the workforce, a few hours before kick-off. In front of the microphones, Tuchel will dare to claim to have tested it in Dijon.
Keen on tactics, Tuchel never tested in 4-4-2 a duo of attackers Neymar - Mbappé on attractive and complementary paper, with nine players working for the team behind them. He has one year left in the capital's club. Elimination would certainly shorten its mandate.
