The Dortmund route had to pass through Strasbourg for PSG. A final rehearsal before turning to the knockout round of the Champions League on Wednesday (9 p.m.). Missed. While they had already landed in Alsace, Friday evening, the Parisians learned of the postponement of the meeting, an epidemic of coronavirus forced. “Among the public expected at the Meinau, 25% of tickets were bought by supporters of the Haut-Rhin. The Bas-Rhin prefecture preferred not to take the slightest risk of contagion, "explained Didier Quillot, executive director general of the LFP, on Canal +. A decision welcomed with philosophy by the president of the RCSA, Marc Keller: “We understand that the health of people is an absolute priority. With a little more skepticism on the side of PSG, which pushed for the match to be played behind closed doors. The prefecture did not want to know anything. And the Parisian delegation left in the evening on Friday.
In a sense, this postponement allows the players of Thomas Tuchel to blow, them who have played 17 games in 2020, against 10 for Dortmund, including a victory at Mönchengladbach Saturday (1-2). But it is not that simple. Firstly because they still had to go back and forth, with the fatigue that this generates. And then because it will not be easy to find a date. "It depends on the busy schedule of PSG and the evolution of health risk," said Quillot, promising that "all the games will take place and (that) the championship must come to an end on the scheduled date, May 23. "
Neymar in search of rhythm
"Last but not least", some Parisian players are more in search of rhythm than rest. Like Neymar. Which Neymar had been put in the fridge for two weeks before going to face the BVB. We had seen the result ... "It was a decision of the club, and I did not like it," thundered the Brazilian at Westfalenstadion. Since then, he played against Bordeaux (4-3), took a red (two yellows) which deprived him of the trip to Dijon (4-0) and returned the cover to Lyon (5-1). "It is absolutely necessary and it is the most important that he plays, that he regains the rhythm and that he is with us in this decisive phase", said Tuchel before OL-PSG. And it is not the roughness of the Alsatian team that would have slowed down the German coach, nor the injury of "Ney" against Racing last year. " It is not dangerous. If he is ready, he will play, "he said on Friday. Like his teammates, he therefore had to settle for training at Camp des Loges.
The PSG program has not changed much, in the end. One more session, Saturday. With Thiago Silva in the middle of his teammates, and candidate for a place in the eleven on Wednesday. It remains to be seen whether the supporters will be there. They are convinced of it. "Wednesday, we will be there when the doors open by your side," says the Collectif Ultras Paris. “If there are decisions, we will have to accept them. But we are stronger with our audience, that's clear, ”insists Tuchel.
Parasitized or not by the context linked to the coronavirus, PSG has a date with its story, Wednesday, against Borussia Dortmund.
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