This Sunday at the Luz stadium, PSG narrowly lost the Champions League final against Bayern Munich (1-0). Thomas Tuchel, the Parisian coach, keeps his team's progress in mind.
Is it the realism that made the difference?
THOMAS TUCHEL. Yes, it was the efficiency that made the difference. We had a great fight against one of the best teams in the world. We were unlucky. We had chances, we posed problems for Bayern. We defended in an extraordinary way. I thought the first goal would decide the fate of the game. I felt it. We could have played the same game and won 1-0. These are small details. Without luck, you can't win a match like that.
Do you have pride after your journey?
I am very proud of the team, I told the players. The worst is to lose but both teams deserved to play in the final. There were a lot of emotions in our journey, of mentality. I felt an incredible atmosphere. We were able to win four titles and a final where we have every possibility of winning. The quality of Neuer has been incredible. It was not possible to score first. But we are proud of our career.
Have you created something here in Portugal?
Of course. We created a special atmosphere in two years. Without this respect, this atmosphere between the players, between the players and the staff, it would be impossible to win four titles and play in a Champions League final. We lost a lot of players with strong personalities. We must still be a great team that must continue this journey. It will be the challenge to find this state of mind.
You kissed Thiago Silva after the game. What message do you want to send to him?
I'm going to talk about that with the club, with Leonardo, the managers, to talk about the new team. Thiago Silva was my captain. It was a pleasure thanks to its quality, its personality. He extended his contract for two months. He left his heart, his energy on the pitch, he gave everything, he was focused, he deserved, we would have deserved to win this Champions League. We had some difficulties in the competition but we would have deserved it.
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Do you want to come back to train in Germany?
We will discuss to strengthen the team. We must show that we do not relax. This is the beginning, not the top. It is the most important. My contract is not the subject. We must first build a new team, have the same ideas.