For the uninitiated who only watch Paris Saint-Germain’s gala matches in the Champions League, there is cause for optimism. After a match as dominated, as controlled as that against Real Madrid (1-0), Tuesday February 15, in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League, a neutral observer unaccustomed to watching Paris would be tempted to say that this team looks like a future winner of C1.
In the pouring rain, Real Madrid never got their heads out of the water on Tuesday at the Parc des Princes. The fault of a PSG sure of its plan and enterprising, which contrasts completely with its performance in the league. Tuesday evening, Paris teamed up when Mauricio Pochettino is desperate to find one in the long term in Ligue 1. Admittedly, PSG are leaders in the championship and are heading straight for the title, but rarely have the Parisians been as convincing as this 15 February.
Ten days ago, the club of the capital feasted in Lille (5-1) and we thought that the machine was on the way. But the poor performance against Rennes on Friday February 11 (1-0) raised doubts. This PSG team is confusing and had its best C1 match this season against Real. “Paris deserved to win, they played better than us. We had a lot of trouble getting out of the pressure from PSG“, conceded Carlo Ancelotti, who saw his team attempt only three strikes (none on target), against 21 shots on the Parisian side.
This victory, PSG owes it to its players but also and above all to an inspired Mauricio Pochettino. PSG had already outdone themselves in the Champions League this season, winning in particular against Manchester City at the end of September at the Parc des Princes (2-0). But Paris had then suffered, just like in the return match, finally lost after opening the scoring (2-1). Yesterday, against Real, there was none of that. Paris had a plan, finely prepared, and was content to respect it. With brio.
The Argentine coach of PSG welcomed the “very good” performance of his team and ensured, like Ancelotti, that his players “deserved the win“. While specifying to have “worked hard to implement the best strategy“. The preparation of the Parisian staff has borne fruit and was especially obvious on the lawn of the Park. Since the arrival of Sergio Ramos in the Parisian ranks last summer, we could expect a system with three defenders , especially with the very attacking full-backs Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi.
Yesterday, it was Danilo Pereira who successfully converted to a central defender. Very concentrated, the Portuguese midfielder cut the opposing transition phases, just like the other Parisian players who applied themselves to covering the depth well. And what about the performance of the Parisian midfielder, who stifled that of Real Madrid. “Usually, we go out well with the ball. Tonight we had a lot more difficulties“, recognized, defeated, Carlo Ancelotti.
“It was a very good match, we cut their preferential circuits and their way of playing. We put a lot of pressure on their midfield“, welcomed his Pochettino side. Contrary to what we can see from week to week in Ligue 1, PSG therefore had a plan, which was not based exclusively on the exploits of Kylian Mbappé.
7 – Kylian Mbappé has been involved in at least one goal in each of his last 7 Champions League matches (5 goals, 4 assists), equaling the record for a Champions League player since Opta analyzed him (2003/ 04) established by … himself in May-December 2017. Crack. #PSGRMA pic.twitter.com/Tk1U0eQUlu
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) February 15, 2022
Only, it was necessary to wait for the thunderclap caused in the last seconds of the match by the French international to unblock the situation. It was in the last gesture that Paris fished last night and the club of the capital risks regretting in the second leg not to have converted more situations. And if Paris showed a completely different face in the game on Tuesday evening, it relied on one of its specialties, Championship and European Cup combined: the end of the match.
As against Lyon (2-1) and Metz (2-1) in September, Angers (2-1) and Lille (2-1) in October and Rennes (1-0) last week, PSG went to seek a victory in the last moments of the match. With Mbappé as king of money-time. The Frenchman made forget the missed penalty earlier in the meeting by Lionel Messi (62nd) and offered a big sigh of relief to Pochettino, who delivers an answer to his detractors. For a year that he has been at PSG, the Argentine coach has indeed struggled to impose his paw on the Parisian game.
He did it Tuesday night. While recalling after the meeting that “there is still one game left“, the return leg to be played at the Santiago-Bernabéu stadium on March 9. After limiting the breakage, Real Madrid remain calm about their qualification.”We remain confident, because we will play at home on the return. The stadium will push us“, assured Ancelotti after the meeting. A confidence exacerbated by the fact that the ex-coach of PSG (2012-2013) knows that his former club is struggling to be consistent over time.
The challenge of the return match will therefore lie there: will PSG be able to repeat the same performance, with such great mastery? In the round of 16 last year, Paris crushed FC Barcelona at Camp Nou (4-1) before shaking for 90 minutes, on the return, at the Parc des Princes (1-1). To avoid living the same scenario, Pochettino has three weeks to prepare the return match as thoroughly as that of Tuesday evening.