Little Paris is still waiting to become big.
In the city of study of the German novelist Goethe, the story of the PSG season remains stuck in the same chapter.
The one where his trainer is still looking for the best formula.
Until the last minute, he could even have gotten away with another victory.
But a completely avoidable fault by Presnel Kimpembe, very nervous this Wednesday evening, offered a logical equalizer to RB Leipzig (2-2), much more attractive than a Parisian team in search of identity.
Already, at half-time, we could give up any idea of logic.
The 35,000 or so spectators at Red Bull Arena had reason to wonder how their team came to the locker room from being down 2-1.
Because in this stadium colored in blue and red, Leipzig had outclassed PSG for more than half an hour in a stifling streak for the middle and rearguard of the Parisians.
A former member of the house, definitely a habit, Christopher Nkunku, had been able to open the mark (8th).
In lack of benchmarks with this evolving system from 4-2-3-1 to 3-4-3 depending on the offensive or defensive phase, Mauricio Pochettino's men could not find any solution.
After 20 minutes of play, Donnarumma had twice as many balloons affected as Idrissa Gueye, yet a midfielder ...
Read alsoLeipzig-PSG (2-2): the ratings of Parisian players
And then this meeting took over part of the France-Switzerland scenario of the last Euro.
Donnarumma changing into Hugo Lloris to stop an early penalty that would have brought the score to 2-0.
Georginio Wijnaldum in a kind of savior à la Karim Benzema for an opportunistic double that brought PSG out of hell.
A nervous group
Pochettino's training alternates between the worst and the best.
As on these phases that she manages best, the offensive transitions, sometimes sublimated by Neymar as a distributor of caviars.
His transmission in depth for Kylian Mbappé, decisive passer on the equalizer of Wijnaldum (21st), being a model.
The Dutchman's double then comes from a corner, a phase that has not been successful for the Parisians this season.
Kylian Mbappé, technical leader and main European scorer of PSG for a year, lacked realism three times (45th + 1, 54th, 62nd). The role of the evening bosses returns to Donnarumma, decisive on the (bad) penalty shot by André Silva (12th) or on several hot balls, and Marquinhos, real firefighter on duty in a defense torn by the German offensives. For the Brazilian, this is only a confirmation. For the Italian doorman, this is further proof of his immense talent. If we had to put a piece on the name of the holder in the round of 16, today it would not be on Keylor Navas.
Among the disappointments, always the same tales, starting with the Parisian game and incomprehensible errors of a collective made up of such experienced players.
Pochettino assured Tuesday still have "a project and ideas" in mind.
The nervousness of his group a good part of the meeting tends to prove the contrary.
Qualification in the round of 16 is getting closer despite everything.
For the rest, we will be patient.
Still.
MATCH SHEET
Half-time:
1-2
Spectators:
42,000
Referee:
M. Ekberg (Sué.)
Goals.
Leipzig: Nkunku (8th), Szoboszlai, (90th + 2);
Wijnaldum (21st, 32nd).
Warnings.
Leipzig: Adams (25th), Marsch (30th), Simakan (69th), Poulsen (90th + 4);
PSG: Danilo (10th), Kimpembe (42nd), Mendes (62nd), Neymar (74th), Donnarumma (90th), Herrera (90th + 5).
Leipzig:
Gulasci (cap.) - Simakan, Orban (Haidara, 46th), Gvardiol - Mukiele, Laimer, Adams (Olmo, 75th), Angelino - Nkunku, Silva (Poulsen, 59th), Forsberg (Szoboszlai, 59th).
Entr.
:
Marsch.
PSG:
Donnarumma - Hakimi, Marquinhos (cap.), Kimpembe, Mendes - Danilo, Gueye - Di Maria (Draxler, 85th), Wijnaldum (Herrera, 85th), Neymar - Mbappé (Icardi, 90th + 3).
Entr.
:
Pochettino.