Special envoy to Lisbon,
"On the ground, we are strong, very strong," promises Thomas Tuchel. Strong enough to make it to the Champions League final? This is the question Parisians will have to answer this Tuesday (9 p.m., on RMC Sport 1 ), on the lawn of the Estadio da Luz. After dismissing Atalanta Bergamo (2-1) at the end of the suspense in the quarter-finals, they will challenge RB Leizpig, third in the last German championship and striker of Atlético Madrid (2-1) in the previous round.
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A "young and intrepid" team which will have absolutely no pressure, notes Marquinhos. Like Olympique Lyonnais, who will face Bayern Munich on Wednesday (9 p.m.) in the other semi-final, the Red Bulls had not ticked the box “victory in the Champions League” in their list of objectives at the start of the season… “It can help to play more liberated,” notes Ander Herrera, even if that does not mean that the Germans are not dangerous… It is up to the French champions to ensure that the hierarchy is respected. "We are ready," Tuchel continues. We are hungry. However, there is no question of history for us before the match: it is a semi-final and we are there to win, to enjoy working, to suffer, and after that, we will see. We cannot control the result. But we're going to fight, that's for sure. "
Angel Di Maria back
Good news: PSG can count on Kylian Mbappé. Hit in the ankle in the final of the Coupe de France, the 21-year-old world champion played the last half hour against Bergamo. Decisive entry. Thiago Silva will be there too, despite an alert last Wednesday. Idrissa Gueye is “very uncertain”, Marco Verratti very probably still too fair and… Keylor Navas, package. This is the big blow. Double winner of the Europa League with Sevilla (2015, 2016), Sergio Rico will keep the goals. Absent against Atalanta, Angel Di Maria is back, he who knows Lisbon well and this stadium of Light for having played under the colors of Benfica between 2010 and 2014. A reinforcement of weight for Paris.
"I wouldn't speak of pressure or obligation to win, but of dreams, the dream of being here and playing a Champions League semi-final"
Ander Herrera"I would not speak of pressure or obligation to win, but of dream, the dream of being here and playing a Champions League semi-final, insists Ander Herrera. We have had an exceptional career on the national stage, we have won four titles, and we have done fantastic things in the Champions League so far. Now it's more of a dream, with this first semi-final in twenty-five years. " Rai and company had indeed reached the last four of the C1 in 1995, after having removed Barça from Johan Cruyff in the quarterfinals, and before being barred from the final by AC Milan, in the semi-finals. It was a year before the Parisian victory in the Coupe des Coupes, on May 8, 1996, against Rapid Vienne, in Brussels. A date forever engraved in the history of this club which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary. Will August 23 also be a sacred date in Paris?
Leipzig is full of talent
In any case, the Franco-German couple will have made the law in Lisbon and in this so special 2020 edition of the Champions League. The opportunity to highlight a Ligue 1 so often criticized. "We, you, we lack respect to Ligue 1, we do not value it enough, promises Juninho, sports director of OL. Why are all the best youngsters recruited by the Premier League? We have a very good championship. "
The Bundesliga is also a known reservoir of young talent. And precisely, this Leipzig team is full of them. A team which “adapts defensively to the structure of the opponent, as Tuchel points out. So you can't tell the difference with the structure. They don't defend one-on-one, like Bergamo, but always moving forward. They are very aggressive, very courageous and always think about attacking. They are very young, very fast, they run a lot and play a very intensive game. There are similarities with Atalanta, although some details are different. It will be a very physical game. ” And to add: "You must therefore focus on yourself, have confidence in your qualities and try to impose them. This is the key. ” Chick?
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