Carlos Bianchi: "I see PSG in the Champions League final"

It is summer in Buenos Aires when the mercury reaches 30 degrees.

For several months, Carlos Bianchi has returned home to Argentina, hoping to return to his Parisian home next spring.

Every morning, he reads Le Parisien, Le Figaro and L'Equipe on his tablet, still connected to his adopted country.

Above all, he spends hours in front of football on television, with a predilection for the meetings of the clubs where he played, PSG (1977-1979), Reims (1973-1977 then 1984-1985), or even Barcelona because 'There is Leo Messi.

“I watch everything.

But, without spectators, I don't like it at all.

The audience is essential.

A team plays for its supporters.

“Discussion with broken sticks before the diffusion of a match of Champions League this Wednesday.

Were you surprised by the result of Barcelona - PSG (1-4)?

CARLOS BIANCHI.

Not at all.

Barcelona are a random team.

We see it in the Spanish league.

She is 3rd, 5 points from Atlético de Madrid, who has just been walked by Chelsea in the Champions League (0-1).

It's not a big championship this season.

Paris had a great game, that's for sure, but Barcelona remain at the mercy of what Messi produces.

But the defense!

Dest, against Mbappé, he is hardly an international player (

Editor's note: 5 American selections

).

Is Clément Lenglet a great central defender?

Gerard Piqué had not played for three months.

On the way back, by leaving the same match, Paris can plant five or six.

However, during the following match, Paris collapsed in front of Monaco (2-0) at the Parc des Princes in L1 ...

Monaco has a very good team.

Little by little, she recovered her health.

Tactically, she dominated Paris.

He missed Marco Verratti at kick-off.

He counts a lot in the creation of the game in Paris.

Defensively, I find Paris very strong, thanks to a very good footing and that's where I was surprised against Monaco: the defense was not comfortable.

But I have confidence in PSG.

I see him a finalist in the Champions League.

Once again ?

PSG have two extraordinary attackers, with Neymar and Kylian Mbappé.

I always say it's easier to prepare a team defensively than offensively.

If there is no offensive talent, not much will happen.

With its two attackers, Paris has the world top.

If, in addition, Angel Di Maria returns to form, it is a plus.

He's a great player.

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Isn't it a mistake to sum up a two-player team?

Defensively, Paris is armed.

If the four are there, from Florenzi to Kurzawa via Marquinhos and Kimpembe, that's fine, they're four good defenders.

In the middle, there are people.

There is in particular Leandro Paredes.

As a coach, you started it at Boca Juniors during the 2013-2014 season.

Is it evolving well?

He has a different style from the usual midfielder.

His characteristics are not really those of a defensive player.

He heals the pass well but he is more in the distribution than the recovery.

With me he was number 10. He played with Riquelme, whose last season was.

They sometimes evolved together.

He was more creative than defensive.

He was starting his career.

He had the heavy task of succeeding Riquelme.

It's like the day Paris will lose Mbappé.

Another striker will arrive and people will say when they go to see him play: “Ah, but it's not Mbappé!

I had brought up Paredes of the young people thinking about the aftermath of Riquelme.

But he was starting out and in a complicated role: number 10 has the weight of the team on his back.

He was struggling: Boca is a huge team where it is difficult to find a starting place.

But he has a good foot.

In the final of the Champions League, who will face Paris?

At the start of last season, I told PSG president (Nasser Al-Khelaïfi) that the Champions League final would be PSG-Manchester City.

Paris was there, not City (

Editor's note: eliminated in quarter against Lyon in Lisbon

).

If they don't meet before, I see the same final in 2021.

According to Carlos Bianchi, Kylian Mbappé "will become the best player in the world in two or three years", if he does not get injured./LP/Frédéric Dugit  

Is it the heart that speaks, your attachment to PSG, plus, now, an Argentinian coach at the helm?

I don't know him personally.

I spoke once in my life with Mauricio Pochettino.

I like his coaching style.

He doesn't make movies.

He stays simple, on the bench or standing near the sideline.

He speaks when necessary.

That's what I see.

I like the Ancelotti, the Zidane, those who are not agitated all the time.

What Defines a Great Coach?

He is the one who wins titles.

I don't think those who don't have CVs are great coaches.

In big clubs, aren't coaches solely dependent on the talent of the stars?

No, they are dependent on the talent for money.

I admired Leicester, champion of England in 2016 for the first time in its history, with ten points ahead of Arsenal of Arsene Wenger and ahead of Chelsea, defending champion.

Claudio Ranieri had built an extraordinary team.

But it is a miracle.

At 90%, the championship goes to the richest.

Manchester City has started well in England, it is the richest.

Atlético in Spain are very rich even if we talk less but they can afford to pay Thomas Lemar 80 million euros.

Bayern in Germany.

In Italy, it might be one of the two Milans.

At the head of a club, would you prefer to buy Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappé?

Both are strong but they are different.

Haaland is a center forward.

Mbappé is not a center forward but both are scorers.

Haaland is more scorer than Mbappé but Kylian will be the best player in the world.

If he doesn't hurt himself, he'll be the best in two or three years.

He's more than a goalscorer.

For me, he needs to evolve in a team that does not dominate too much.

I am convinced that he would not have his place in Manchester City where we keep the ball too much.

At the end, in the last thirty meters, there is not enough space left for the race.

Him, over twenty meters, he takes three in advance.

He has a sensational kidney stroke.

PODCAST.

The night the star Mbappé eclipsed Messi

Should he stay or go?

I can't put myself in his shoes.

I was a docile player.

I finished top scorer three times in the French Championship and I never messed up, I had a contract.

The first time, in Reims, Real Madrid came to pick me up in 1973-1974.

Real Madrid anyway!

I stayed in Reims.

Mbappé is 22 years old and is already mature, only he knows that.

Even more mature, there is Leo Messi.

Can you imagine him in Paris next season?

He's the best player of all time.

I don't know what's going to happen, but what I want is to see him play.

This is how I take pleasure.

Even though he's getting older, he's still dribbling everyone in some games.

He's still an incredible player at 33.

Like Cristiano Ronaldo or Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

They are unique players.