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Bayern-Paris, the revenge

2021-03-19T21:55:52.506Z


Opponents in the final, last August, the two clubs will meet in quarters at the beginning of April.


"It's a good draw for all football fans."

It's hard to prove Kingsley Coman wrong.

The draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League, carried out on Friday in Nyon (Switzerland), offers a remake of the last final, between “his” Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, to football fans.

On August 23, 2020, it was the Bavarians who won 1-0, thanks to an achievement by… Coman, author of the only goal of the match and therefore executioner of his training club.

"There is a lot of joy and a little sadness," the titi commented at the time.

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The rest of the troops were obviously not as nuanced as the international tricolor.

The Bavarians were very happy to celebrate this sixth coronation in C1 in the history of the “Rekordmeister”, while the Parisians measured the path that still remained to them to celebrate a first “Champions'”, with tears in the eyes. eye and head full of regret.

"Last season, we came very close to our goal in the Champions League final," said President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.

Of course, Bayern had dominated this game.

But Paris had the opportunities to score, and especially to open the scoring before the break.

We think in particular of Neymar, who came up against a Manuel Neuer in a state of grace (see video below), or Kylian Mbappé, timid when concluding at the end of the first period.

All this while Marco Verratti could only play for half an hour, after missing the first two matches of the “Final 8”.

At the end of the game, the hero of the quarter against Atalanta, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, was on the verge of equalizing ... Logical and cruel outcome both for Paris, a novice at this stage of the competition and who does not has therefore not imitated Dortmund, the last club to have won the Cup with the big ears for its first appearance in the final.

It was in 1997.

"Very confident and happy to be back in Paris"

Thomas muller

And since ?

PSG has changed coach, Mauricio Pochettino in place of Thomas Tuchel.

Alessandro Florenzi, Moise Kean, Danilo Pereira and Rafinha have arrived.

Thiago Silva beat Coach Tuchel at Chelsea and "Choupo" left… at Bayern, like Tanguy Kouassi.

"It's a beautiful story", smiles the Indomitable Lion, who would however have preferred to postpone this reunion until "later" in the tournament.

We imagine that there are a few to think the same thing in both camps… Although, Thomas Müller says he is “very confident.

I am happy to be back in Paris ”.

Manuer Neuer's recital during the C1 final between Bayern and PSG (1-0)

And the 31-year-old Germany international has reason to be confident.

Whether it is because Bayern has never been released by a French club in a chopper match within the framework of the C1 (four qualifications), that Munich turns to nearly three goals per game over the season or that the champions of Europe remain on 19 matches without defeat in C1 (18 wins, 1 draw).

Add to that that the leader in the Bundesliga table leans on such a large, talented and experienced squad, and you have a war machine that is at least as strong as it was on August 23.

Last but not least, the workforce has hardly changed.

Ivan Perisic and Philippe Coutinho were replaced by Leroy Sané and Douglas Costa, while the departure of Thiago Alcantara (Liverpool) was hardly felt.

"They are a strong opponent, but we have shown that we are the best team in Europe at the moment, we will have to fight!" Said future FC Bayern boss Oliver Kahn.  

Which Neymar against Bayern?

A number 1 status that Mauricio Pochettino does not even dispute, rolled by the same Bayern when he coached Tottenham (2-7 defeat at the end of 2019, editor's note).

“The draw would have been necessarily difficult, and surprises exist, but we will play against those who are the best on the continent right now.

We are optimistic, the team will be competitive, ”said the Argentinian technician.

Competitive, and probably led by Neymar Jr. It remains to be seen in what form the Brazilian genius will be, who has not played since his adductor injury on February 10.

It should come into play Sunday, in Lyon (9 p.m., 30th day of Ligue 1).

And if all goes well, he will continue after the truce, against Lille (April 3).

Sufficient?

One thing is certain: like Mbappé, the 29-year-old Brazilian will be keen to make up for it after his failed final. 

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"I have enormous confidence in our team", insists "NAK".

There too, he is quite right.

Because if it has been running on alternating current since the start of this very special season, PSG has the arguments to make Bayern suffer, especially in transition.

"If we want to go far in C1, we will have to beat any opponent, underlines Marquinhos, captain of this PSG who knew how to transcend himself in Barcelona, ​​in the 8th (4-1 victory), and who can rely on a Boosted Keylor Navas.

It's a great team.

Now it's up to us to show that we are able to take this step. ”

And to add: "We will have to go there to have a good match and come back here to validate the qualification."

"Our goal is always to go to the end of the competition"

Leonardo

And in the event of qualification, Paris will not however have free rein until the title and the final on May 29, at the Atatürk stadium in Istanbul.

In the semi-finals, it would be necessary to grapple with the winner of Manchester City-Borussia Dortmund.

The obstacle course… “The level is raised in our part of the table, but to reach the end of the competition, and it is always our objective, we have to go through everyone, swears Leonardo, thus walking in the footsteps of his captain.

So we are moving forward, we are happy with our performance and we will do everything to get to the end. ”

In the other part of the table, Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea will face the surprise team on the board, FC Porto, defenders of Juve, and Real Madrid will face Liverpool in a remake of the 2018 final, won by Casa Blanca.

It promises, and not only between Paris and Bayern ...

Read also

  • Champions League: schedule and results

Source: lefigaro

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