The tipping point. Before facing Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain are on a ridge line, which can tip their season for the good or the bad. Three months after leading the Parisians to their first Champions League final in their history, the situation is harsh but relentless for German coach Thomas Tuchel, in office since 2018.
His team has just completed three very average performances. Hanged by Bordeaux at the Parc des Princes (2-2) and overthrown by Monaco (3-2) for his third defeat in twelve Ligue 1 games – an unusual number of losses -, lucky winner of Leipzig at the end of one of the matches most unfinished Europeans of the Qatari era, PSG may not only play its future in the Champions League, Wednesday at Old Trafford.
In the event of a defeat against the Mancuniens, matched in the other meeting of the group to a success of Leipzig against Istanbul, Thomas Tuchel’s players would indeed no longer be masters of their destiny. It would only take a draw on the sixth and final day between the English and the Germans to eliminate PSG from the 8es final, a stage they have always reached for eight seasons.
If Tuchel already knows that it will be very difficult for him to extend his contract in 2021, the ex-coach of Borussia Dortmund could well leave some feathers in a possible European shipwreck. And lose some of the credit accumulated throughout his career, despite his four trophies won in 2020.
In bickering with his sports director, the powerful Leonardo, mired in an increasingly confrontational communication with journalists and criticized internally by some of his players, Tuchel, 47, is going through a turbulent period full of uncertainty. What tender the most placid of coaches. After the poor performance against Bordeaux on Saturday night, however the 3e worst attack in the championship, the coach’s speech has changed somewhat.
First criticism of its players after Bordeaux
He who until now played the defense of his group against criticism from the press – like his lunar exit at a post-Leipzig press conference: ” You can ask this question in the locker room if you have the balls to do that ”- pointed out the shortcomings of his collective, in particular the absence “Attitude, effort, discipline”. Neymar, however not known for his sense of the collective, called for “Play more as a team, otherwise it would be difficult”.
“Normally I always protect my team but today I absolutely do not agree with the efforts [fournis] in the second half, asserted Tuchel. If we play like that in Manchester, like in the second half, it’s not possible. I can’t understand why we don’t play seriously enough, why we don’t take our responsibilities. “
How to explain the express tumble since a Final 8 where we never ceased to praise the formidable state of mind of this Parisian team in a situation almost reversed in the last frost of autumn? “It’s not just a matter of state of mind. There are several reasons, maybe too many. The situation is very complicated ”, analyzed the coach on Tuesday at a press conference.
Perhaps he was thinking of poorly managed preparations that generated injuries and mishap. When OL resumed the season interrupted in March by the Covid-19 from June 8 in anticipation of the Coupe de la Ligue final (July 31 against PSG) and Final 8, the Parisians had waited for June 22 , while they were playing a first final, that of the Coupe de France from July 24.
Rebelote, after the European final lost against Bayern on August 23 and while Paris was initially due to start in Ligue 1 in Lens on August 29, the club had obtained a postponement of its first match and granted a week of vacation to its players. Some had taken advantage of the last days of August in Ibiza and had brought the Covid-19 in their luggage. Deprived of a large part of its executives, PSG Tuchel lost in Lens, then against Marseille.
If absences are directly linked to these inconsistencies, the litany of wounds is also due to a certain bad luck and the fragility of some. Tuchel must juggle these evils. Essential part of the midfielder, Marco Verratti missed several weeks of competition. His absence creates disorder in the Paris midfield and indirectly caused a pass of arms between Leonardo and the coach.
Tuchel has several times chosen to align Marquinhos, central defender by profession, in the midfield, and to bring down a notch lower Danilo, defensive midfielder recruited by the Brazilian. This contested choice weakened the technician’s position. The return of Verratti – who came into play ten minutes against Leipzig and started against Bordeaux – could make his job easier.
Saved by Verratti’s return?
“Marco can change everything in our plans and on the pitch. He showed an extraordinary performance (against Leipzig). He may be able to play a half against Bordeaux. His return gives us a lot of possibilities, confidence, quality in the field ”, explained the coach.
The Italian, elected by PSG supporters best Parisian player of the match against Bordeaux, is expected to play in the north of England his 62e European meeting, one more than his ex-captain Thiago Silva, who left for Chelsea this summer.
Thomas Tuchel will have to count in Manchester on the awakening of another of his best players. Author of a contrasting Final 8 – a decisive entry into the quarter but a missed final – Kylian Mbappé alternates the good and the less good since the resumption. Despite his nine goals in eight Ligue 1 games (he is at the top of the scorers standings), he has not scored for eight European Cup games. Against Bordeaux, he was annoyed and clumsy, wasting scoring opportunities.
Stuck at a unit of 100 goals in the Parisian jersey – only three years after his arrival – the world champion hopes to take this step in Manchester. ” It’s a question of time. It will happen “, supported his trainer. In February 2019, during the 8e first leg against the Mancuniens, Mbappé had scored one of the two goals of the controlled victory of PSG. “Now we come to Manchester to win. It is one of the biggest challenges in the world ”, Tuchel proclaimed Tuesday at a press conference.
This Wednesday, Thomas Tuchel would be satisfied with a narrow victory. And even if his young prodigy has to wait a little longer to score his hundredth Parisian goal.
