This time, is it the right one?
Like every year since the takeover of QSI in 2011, and even more after the arrival of Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappé in 2017, PSG is attacking the Champions League with the ambition of winning the bet.
Devouring ambition, constant obsession.
“There are maybe 10 or 12 teams who dream of winning the C1.
But it is not possible to have this goal, or to think that it is a horrible season if we do not win this trophy, relativizes Ander Herrera.
Our goal, our obligation, is to win and fight for national competitions.
Then, of course, we have the dream, the qualities to fight for the C1.
But it's not fair to talk about obligation.
It's not a goal, it's a dream.
We will fight with our heart, our body and our head. ”
A fight that begins this Tuesday (9 p.m.), with the reception of Manchester United, in an empty Parc des Princes due to curfews throughout the Île-de-France and the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It's the challenge not to think too much about last season because it doesn't help"
Thomas tuchel
This will remind Parisians of memories of Lisbon, the “Final 8” also taking place behind closed doors.
Despite the absence of their supporters, Thomas Tuchel's players had made their way to the final, the first in club history, losing only a small goal against Bayern (0-1 ).
So close, so far.
“We had an extraordinary season in the Champions League and that gives us a lot of confidence.
But it's the challenge of not thinking too much about last season or the previous one, because that doesn't help, Tuchel promises.
In sport, it's always the same: you start with zero points, zero goals and you still have to prove, start winning again. "
And in this case to win a group made up of Manchester United, therefore, but also of Leipzig, semi-finalist in 2020 against PSG (3-0), and Istanbul Basaksehir (group H).
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Then it will be time to think about doing as well or even better than in 2020 and maybe lifting the trophy in May 2021, in Istanbul, during the final.
With Mbappé and Neymar loyal to the position, and we do not know for how long this will be the case, knowing that the two stars are no longer contract until 2022, Angel Di Maria, Marco Verratti, Marquinhos and other Keylor Navas for support them, there is something to do… Even if Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani and others have left.
Alessandro Florenzi (ex-Roma), Danilo (ex-Porto), Rafinha (ex-Barça) and Moise Kean (ex-Everton) arrived, Mauro Icardi and Sergio Rico stayed.
PSG stronger this year?
"Honestly, I do not know.
We must prove, asserts Thomas Tuchel.
And it's hard to prove because we had a super strong team last season, but it's sport: a new competition begins.
We can answer that question at the end of the season, not now. ”
Paris and Manchester diminished
This Tuesday evening, we can in any case say whether Paris Saint-Germain was, over 90 minutes, stronger than Manchester United.
We will have to do without Mauro Icardi, Leo Paredes and Marco Verratti, all injured, Thilo Kehrer and Juan Bernat too.
A priori, the neo-captain Marquinhos, he is operational.
And Neymar, Angel Di Maria, Layvin Kurzawa and Danilo, all absent in Nîmes last Friday (4-0 victory), are fit.
Moreover, Mancunians also have their concerns: Harry Maguire, Mason Greenwood, Jesse Lindgard and Eric Bailly are missing.
A certain Edinson Cavani too, too close after seven months without playing.
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But no one will leave the flower to the gun on the Parisian side, with the memory of the debacle against the Manchester United B team in 2019, at the stage of the round of 16 ... scalded cat fears cold water.
"We had a lot of injuries, a lot of players who were not used to playing and so we arrived without too much hope," recalls the ex-Mancunien Herrera.
“But we won,” he smiles.
3-1 victory, enough to erase the Parisians 2-0 success at Old Trafford in the first leg.
"It is not a good memory for us", summarizes Thomas Tuchel.
“Great memory, but it has no impact on this game.
The two teams are different and it is not the same level of competition, ”notes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who will make Bruno Fernandes captain in the absence of Maguire and who will hope that his players will be in good shape. day.
If the Parisians have found their rhythm this season, they remain on five consecutive victories, the Red Devils alternate the good, as in Newcastle last Saturday (victory 4-1), and the much less good, as against Tottenham (defeat 1 -6) before the break.
Which ones will show up in Paris?
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