PSG-Manchester City, the tactical debrief: "Paris did not know how to maintain the same level of intensity"

PSG, which had yet opened the scoring, finds itself back to the wall after its defeat against Manchester City (1-2) in the semi-final first leg of C1.

As after every big meeting, we offer you the tactical perspective of a coach.

Philippe Montanier, who faced Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino when he coached Real Sociedad (2011-2013), explains what the Parisians lacked on Wednesday night at the Parc des Princes.

Paris deprived of a ball in the second half.

“This is all the difference with the first 45 minutes. The balance of power reversed at the break. Pep Guardiola has not changed his device so far, except that he asked his players to put more intensity without the ball, with the pressing, and with the ball too, which embarrassed the Parisians. The balloon circulated quickly from one sector to another with an extraordinary technical quality. Paris could not maintain the same level of intensity for 90 minutes. "

The decline in Parisian circles.

“It may be linked to a lack of physical freshness, and surely also to a lack of mental freshness. They spent a lot of energy in the first half. Marco Verratti was well mastered, but not only. Manchester City imposed their game by raising the cursor in offensive and defensive aggressiveness. "

Disappointing Neymar and Mbappé.

“City has been able to manage the spaces well.

I like when Mbappé manages to take the ball, lean, and get moving.

Solitary raids can work.

We saw it on his feat in the second box

(Editor's note: when Verratti is close to pushing the ball into the net)

.

But, against teams like City, it does not always pass.

For Neymar, same thing, especially when he does too much on his own.

Perhaps they would have been more effective with a combined play, but City defended very well on those two players.

"

Read alsoPSG-Manchester City (1-2): the ratings of Parisian players

The late changes of Pochettino.

“I honestly think Manchester City have a better bench than PSG. Even Benjamin Mendy, who is a very high-level full-back, is almost number three there. Mauricio Pochettino put his best players at the start. They had a very good first half and he trusted them until the end. Would bringing Danilo and Herrera in earlier have changed the face of the match? I doubt. One can, seeing the result, say that there were two or three changes to be made. But, the best Parisians were on the ground. For me, the influence of Mauricio's choices on this meeting is not huge. "

The exit of Di Maria.

“He had a sumptuous first half to allow Neymar and Mbappé not to make too much defensive effort. He took the hallway. He also knew how to show himself offensively. However, over the minutes, we saw that he was running out of steam. If Pochettino had replaced Neymar rather than Di Maria, we would have said to

ourselves but why is he leaving a player like that, who can make the difference at any time?

We would have asked ourselves the same question if it was Mbappé who had left. They can dribble 6 or 7 opponents, they are so unpredictable, even if their performance Wednesday night was less than usual. "

The keys to the return leg.

“You will have to play with enormous intensity over 70 to 90 minutes. Not just on half time. City are used, by their championship, to play a whole game at a high pace. It will be necessary to have the same technical level as in the first period. Paris was at a stratospheric level. In second, there was too much waste. Probably because of Manchester, his defensive aggressiveness, and the lack of mobility around the carrier. It will also be necessary to be more efficient in front of goal. This had been one of the keys to success in Barcelona and Munich. This time, it was Manchester who had more success. The most efficient team is often the one that makes the difference at the finish line. "