Tuchel on the behavior of the players: "It was a very strong reaction"

At the Parc des Princes

Reference match

: “Maybe… But you know my opinion well.

Every game has its questions and they must always be answered.

We had a lot of difficult phases without this season and of course also in the Champions League.

But we also had phases or played not too badly, but without having results in this C1.

Now it's easy to say it's the benchmark game, but obviously it was a great performance, an almost perfect game with and against the ball.

We are very happy, and happy to finish in first place. ”

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The postponement of the match on Tuesday and the behavior of the players

: “They made a strong and very courageous decision yesterday, they showed solidarity with the opponent.

In the locker room, it was clear that they wanted to show that reaction.

They are adults.

It was a very strong reaction.

I didn't hear or understand the whole situation on the pitch yesterday because I didn't hear the words, but it was clear after, in the locker room.

It was necessary to show this solidarity and to continue today with this match. ” 

"Neymar's heart is very big"

Neymar

: "If he still manages to surprise me?

No, because I understand he is feeling fine now.

It is also necessary for him to have rhythm.

It was very hard for him, a complicated phase after the "Final 8" because he gave everything for us in Portugal.

Afterwards, he had the Covid, he was not able to recover well, to gain in physical capacity.

For the past few weeks he has been able to do it.

He feels good, he finds the rhythm, he gains in capacity and afterwards he is always able to make the difference.

He did it against Leipzig (1-0), Manchester (1-3) and today (5-2).

It was a good mix between simple play and decisive dribbles, strikes and decisive finishes.

A good mix and an extraordinary performance. ”

The approach of the match this Wednesday

: “We did not try to force the focus on sport.

We let this situation calm down a bit and we talked a lot about it.

And still today.

We had a lunch together today during which we did not talk about the match and the sport because we prepared for this match yesterday.

I was confident that the players had not forgotten the goal.

For me it was necessary not to force the concentration and the athlete.

We had to talk about it yesterday, to have respect for the opinion of each player.

It's also a good dynamic and a very important situation in a team, to understand that there are things more important than sport.

We left, we managed quietly, with a lot of confidence in the players.

And they showed that it was possible to have a good match like that because we always enjoy the field, we love the sport and we have respect for the game. They showed a good "spirit". "

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The penalty offered to Mbappé by Neymar

: "It's a great gesture".

He gave that ball when he could make a hat-trick.

It is not so common for "Ney" to make a hat-trick in C1 but he gave the ball to Kylian, so that he has the possibility of ending this too long phase without scoring (in the Champions League) .

Neymar's heart is very big.

He always thinks of his teammates.

He knows how important it is to score for forwards and in this case for a guy like Kylian.

He did very well. ”

Remarks gathered during a press conference

Buruk: "We showed the whole world that we are all united"

Okan Buruk (coach of Basaksehir)

 : “Pierre Webo was sent off by the fourth referee who said an unacceptable word to him, a word that should not be said.

The referee should have handled the situation… He didn't.

We had to show something, show that we were with Webo.

Demba and PSG players including Kylian Mbappé and Neymar all came together and said that if the fourth referee continues, we don't play either.

We all went back to the locker room.

There, the players made the decision.

Some did not want to come back to the lawn at all.

As we are a team, we had to stay as a team and not be divided.

And we made this decision.

UEFA helped us by postponing the match.

That's what they did.

We showed the whole world that we are all united. ”

(in press conference)

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