This Tuesday, on the eve of the quarter-final of the Champions League between his team, PSG, and the Italians of Atalanta Bergamo, Thomas Tuchel wanted to be confident, highlighting the qualities of his group.
What are the chances of seeing Kylian Mbappé, hit in the ankle on July 24, this Wednesday?
THOMAS TUCHEL. If he trains well today (Editor's note: this Tuesday) and if nothing extraordinary happens, he will be in the team (Editor's note: on the scoresheet) . He can finish the match, but that's not possible for 90 minutes.
Where is Marco Verratti, affected in the calves?
We have to wait and be patient with Marco. Last week it was not possible for him to run. Yesterday (Editor's note: Monday) , he started running again. It will be very short for the semi-final but we will try to do everything for it, like with Kylian. But now, Marco is in a phase where he can speed up his work. It's an accident in training, a lot of bad luck.
What type of match do you expect?
Atalanta plays a unique style. She plays individually, she attacks with seven players in the opposing camp. It's a particular style, it's complicated. She scores a lot. It's a big challenge. There are always possibilities to find spaces. It's a tactical match, but also a mental one, with the same spirit as during the training sessions of the last few days. We had a competitive mindset. It is necessary to play with a smile during work. We suffer together. It will be very, very hard, Atalanta is physical, but we are also very strong. We can win, but it will be hard.
How have you prepared in recent months?
After the defeat against Dortmund, I had the feeling that we grew as a team, that we created a state of mind between the staff and the players. We had injured players, a closed session the day before the match, but we did it on the return, without conceding a goal. It was a big step forward. We couldn't continue the competition. It was not possible. It was special. We prepared in the best way. It was important to win the two National Cup finals. It was not easy to win by being favorites. But it was the best way to prepare for this Champions League tournament. We are confident for this. We are right to have confidence, but we do not have too much confidence. We are happy to play this competition.
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How important is Mauro Icardi in the workforce?
It is super important. With Kylian's injury and the absence of Edison Cavani, he has to play a good game, show his personality, show that he's a guy who can fight in important games. He is never afraid, he is reliable tactically, defensively. He is really well integrated into this group. It wasn't too difficult: there are a lot of South Americans in the workforce. Now is the time for him to show that he can take us to the semi-finals.
Is the pressure on Neymar strong?
On Neymar, there is always a lot of pressure. You and I can't imagine how strong she is. He's used to playing with that pressure. We have the option of ending up with Kylian. It's good for Neymar who likes to play with him. It's always like that for Ney: he likes it, big decisive meetings, he knows how to handle it. I am convinced that he will deliver a great match and that he will be the key in this kind of meeting. He has the mentality for this type of event.
Do you have fears of contagion within the team after the positive cases within Atlético de Madrid?
We are not afraid. We are all negative, we got tested. We are very vigilant. The organization is very good. I hope we will all remain negative for the match but also for our health.