A grain of sand in precision mechanics. After nine games with at least three goals scored, PSG struggled to register one in Lorient on Sunday. And, almost as unexpectedly, Mauro Icardi completed his third consecutive game in Brittany without scoring. A first since its signing in Paris, the last day of the transfer window.
Enough for Thomas Tuchel and Leonardo to go to the front. "It can happen for an attacker, calm the manager. He has already scored 17 goals with us and I know he will score again. He works a lot. He is very reliable when losing the ball and tactically. I hope he will not lose confidence, because it is not necessary. "At the microphone of Eurosport, the German also launched the track of fatigue:" It may be a little too much used at the moment, but unfortunately Edi is injured. "
In 19 games, Icardi had scored 17 times, or once every 16 balls touched, as we counted recently. Since then, he has hardly touched more balls per encounter, but he has not scored. In Lorient, a feat of Paul Nardi deprived him of a goal of the head as he likes them, of near and the clumsiness of Di Maria and Sarabia of at least a decisive pass. A dirty evening, while his daughter Francesca celebrated her 5 years away from him.
Leonardo's plea
It is difficult to learn lessons from moving to Brittany on a difficult lawn and in a team under general anesthesia for a long time. The Argentinian's two performances against Monaco pose more questions for the future. The most optimistic will retain its role of liberator of spaces for Neymar and Mbappé. Others will consider that PSG cannot save a player participating entirely in the game against very good teams. Thus, close friends of PSG continue to think that Thomas Tuchel could relegate Icardi to the bench in the Champions League, in favor of a midfielder three, especially outside.
Icardi's three scoreless games are, for the moment, obviously not in a position to question the very strong desire of PSG to acquire the player loaned by Inter Milan, and whose purchase option amounted to 65 million euros (M €) - in addition to the 5 M € paid for this season on loan. “I heard: three games, problem, screams… Please !, Leonardo spontaneously indignant. A player who scores 17 goals in 22 games is huge. […] We have time. The purchase option is written, exists. We have the right timing, we have a lot of things to do. The most important thing now, while the transfer window is open, is to be focused on what we are doing. "
