And what else today? A fungus that ravages the Park's lawn? A qualification and, in the process, quarterfinals canceled because of the coronavirus? A panaris for Neymar? We joke, of course, and we understand that the PSG officials do not really have the heart to laugh at the end of these 21 days when everything went awry. On the extra-sports level is understood. From Dortmund and the exit of Neymar, to Dortmund and the angina of Mbappé, Paris saw "negativity" theorized by its sporting director Leonardo materialize in the facts.
PSG turned into Poisse Saint-Germain and, to achieve this, it did not always need outside help in the form of an epidemic of coronavirus. The declarations of his Brazilian star revealing his disagreement with the staff of the team just after the defeat of the first leg (1-2) gave the "la" of three weeks where the authority sometimes found it difficult to incarnate .
"It was not my choice, it was the club that made the decision, the doctors, explained number 10 about the past four games without playing because of a rib injury. We talked a lot. I did not like. I wanted to play, I felt good. The club was afraid and it fell on me. "
These statements, a few minutes after a worrying setback and the annoying suspensions of Meunier and Verratti for the return, sowed a little more trouble. And, in the process, the insults on the social networks of Kimpembe's brother, towards Thomas Tuchel, did not help to ease the atmosphere. The next day, at Camp des Loges, the French defender had to apologize to his coach.
When Leonardo steps up
Each day has enough trouble of its. Less than 48 hours later, it's Leonardo who will choke on his morning coffee by discovering videos of the birthday of Di Maria, Cavani and Icardi posted on social networks. More than the naked torsos spinning their t-shirts, it is the scope of these images, two days after the defeat in the Champions League, which shocked the sports director.
There is reason to invite yourself to the Camp des Loges for a rise in suspenders. What he will do the next day. But the admonitions go wrong. Some participants in the evening, including Keylor Navas, stand up to him, supporting the idea that in Paris the Republic of players is not a sight of the mind.
No more than the thigh injuries that have become the tube of the Parisian infirmary. On February 23, after 14 minutes of play against Bordeaux, Thiago Silva struggles. His thigh just let go of him like others before him. The eighth final return away. After the match, Thomas Tuchel declared himself “worried” about his captain. But the threat is elsewhere and takes the form of an epidemic from China.
The postponement of the match in Strasbourg goes badly
The coronavirus is spreading in France and PSG will become one of the first French clubs impacted. While Mulhouse and the Haut-Rhin department have become one of the epidemic centers of the disease, the club of the capital flies away on March 6 for Strasbourg where it must face Racing the next day. But when they get off the plane, the Parisians learn that the match is canceled because of the Covid-19.
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The pill is struggling to pass. Neymar who was counting on this meeting to regain rhythm after his expulsion against Bordeaux will have to be content with three training sessions at the Camp des Loges before the shock against Dortmund. However, everything is not gray. Thiago Silva's return to business is looming. But the threat continues to hover over Paris.
The news finally falls in the middle of Monday's morning training session. PSG-Dortmund will be played behind closed doors. The players take the hit. Mbappé is at the bottom of his bed, suffering from rifle angina. His participation in the round of 16 return is questioned. Like that of Neymar the last two seasons. The bad luck virus has struck PSG again.