The Champions League has already beaten the managers of Paris Saint-Germain. Laurent Blanc was sacked for losing in the quarterfinals against a weak team from Manchester City in 2016. Unai Emery never recovered from his collapse in Barcelona the following year. If PSG lost to Liverpool on Wednesday night and was eliminated in the group stage, it is impossible to see how Thomas Tuchel could have survived.
But they won 2 to 1 and, in the joy that followed, the players having danced long after the end of the match, it was possible to feel a change, or at least the beginning of something. For the first time in more than a year, PSG had beaten another European top. This is the result that makes it possible to obtain a management position rather than breaking it. And Tuchel could not hide his pride and pleasure at the post-match press conference.
What really comes out of Tuchel's comments is the feeling that PSG is starting from scratch under his orders. Under Carlo Ancelotti, Laurent Blanc or Unai Emery, we never felt that the club was making much progress. The stories were the same because they tried and failed to reach the Champions League semi-finals, which they still did not do.
1/22 Gianluigi Buffon – 7
Has not really been called to action despite Liverpool's offensive prowess to add about his performance.
Getty Images
2/22 Thilo Kehrer – 6
Not as influential as his back friend, but did his homework well.
Action Images via Reuters
3/22 Thiago Silva – 8
Sensational blocks and defend with everything he has. Put a lot of emotion in his display as well.
EPA
4/22 Presnel Kimpembe – 7
Moments of nervousness for the 23-year-old, but the central defender was good when he was called (for the most part).
AP
5/22 Juan Bernat – 8
A solid performance from Bernat and a great goal to boot, his second consecutive Champions League appearance for PSG.
EPA
6/22 Marquinhos – 6
Not as composed as the rest of the PSG but a satisfying evening.
AFP / Getty Images
7/22 Marco Verratti – 7
He could very well have been sent off, but in terms of his overall performance, he was very composed in the middle of the field and was pulling the strings for the French champion.
Getty Images
8/22 Angel Di Maria – 5
Did not have too much offensive impact on the game and made the game unnecessarily interesting near half-time, reprimanding Mane with Milner by sending the penalty. Take off at the hour.
AFP / Getty Images
9/22 Neymar – 7
He took his goal well and caused a lot of problems for the defenders of Liverpool. Despite his antics and his assault, we can not deny its impact on this match.
Getty Images
10/22 Kylian Mbeppe – 7
A remarkable performance of the young striker. It's an exceptional talent that only gets stronger and stronger. Befriends Cavani and Neymar for fun.
AP
11/22 Edinson Cavani – 7
He missed some good chances for PSG, but was still essential to his cause and was very well connected to his two men. Large ovation of local fans after his replacement after one hour.
Getty Images
12/22 Alisson – 7
It was the only Liverpool defender to cover himself with glory tonight, making two good saves and leaving Liverpool in the game.
REUTERS
13/22 Joe Gomez – 5
Wonderful this season in the Liverpool team, but disappointing tonight, unable to stop the attackers PSG, he remained motionless for the first goal.
Getty Images
14/22 Virgil Van Dijk – 5
His low clearance led to the opening of PSG's goal and he seemed a bit out of touch with his usual domineering personality.
AFP / Getty Images
15/22 Dejan Lovren – 4
A mediocre performance of one of the best defenders of the world according to his eponymous status. He was out of rhythm, too tight when he could not follow and was shown tonight.
Pennsylvania
16/22 Andy Robertson – 6
One of the best defenders, especially as usual, but part of a regularly troubled back line.
Getty Images
17/22 Jordan Henderson – 6
Little to say about his performance tonight. Nothing special, nothing bad.
AP
18/22 James Milner – 7
It should have been booked, but it's a good performance from Mr.consistent and scoring the penalty kick in the pressure situation that it was just before half-time to snort Liverpool.
AP
19/22 Georginio Wijnaldum – 6
He had booked earlier in the game and could not really stop the PSG engine, but it was reasonable.
Getty Images
20/22 Mohamed Salah – 6
A disappointing show from the star of last year when he failed to win the game tonight.
Getty Images
21/22 Sadio Mane – 7
Won the penalty in the first half with a good direct shot (despite the whimsical tackle on him). It was not his lightning, but not a bad performance.
Action Images via Reuters
22/22 Roberto Firmino – 6
A few small things to do with his teammates, but again, he has to do a little more.
Action Images via Reuters
1/22 Gianluigi Buffon – 7
In reality, he was not really mobilized despite Liverpool's offensive prowess to add about his performance.
Getty Images
2/22 Thilo Kehrer – 6
Not as influential as his back friend, but did his homework well.
Action Images via Reuters
3/22 Thiago Silva – 8
Sensational blocks and defend with everything he has. Put a lot of emotion in his display as well.
EPA
4/22 Presnel Kimpembe – 7
Moments of nervousness for the 23-year-old, but the central defender was good when he was called (for the most part).
AP
5/22 Juan Bernat – 8
A solid performance from Bernat and a great goal to boot, his second consecutive Champions League appearance for PSG.
EPA
6/22 Marquinhos – 6
Not as composed as the rest of the PSG but a satisfying evening.
AFP / Getty Images
7/22 Marco Verratti – 7
He could very well have been sent off, but in terms of his overall performance, he was very composed in the middle of the field and was pulling the strings for the French champion.
Getty Images
8/22 Angel Di Maria – 5
Did not have too much offensive impact on the game and made the game unnecessarily interesting near half-time, reprimanding Mane with Milner by sending the penalty. Take off at the hour.
AFP / Getty Images
9/22 Neymar – 7
He took his goal well and caused a lot of problems for the defenders of Liverpool. Despite his antics and his assault, we can not deny its impact on this match.
Getty Images
10/22 Kylian Mbeppe – 7
A remarkable performance of the young striker. It's an exceptional talent that only gets stronger and stronger. Befriends Cavani and Neymar for fun.
AP
11/22 Edinson Cavani – 7
He missed some good chances for PSG, but was still essential to his cause and was very well connected to his two men. Large ovation of local fans after his replacement after one hour.
Getty Images
12/22 Alisson – 7
It was the only Liverpool defender to cover himself with glory tonight, making two good saves and leaving Liverpool in the game.
REUTERS
13/22 Joe Gomez – 5
Wonderful this season in the Liverpool team, but disappointing tonight, unable to stop the attackers PSG, he remained motionless for the first goal.
Getty Images
14/22 Virgil Van Dijk – 5
His low clearance led to the opening of PSG's goal and he seemed a bit out of touch with his usual domineering personality.
AFP / Getty Images
15/22 Dejan Lovren – 4
A mediocre performance of one of the best defenders of the world according to his eponymous status. He was out of rhythm, too tight when he could not follow and was shown tonight.
Pennsylvania
16/22 Andy Robertson – 6
One of the best defenders, especially as usual, but part of a regularly troubled back line.
Getty Images
17/22 Jordan Henderson – 6
Little to say about his performance tonight. Nothing special, nothing bad.
AP
18/22 James Milner – 7
It should have been booked, but it's a good performance from Mr.consistent and scoring the penalty kick in the pressure situation that it was just before half-time to snort Liverpool.
AP
19/22 Georginio Wijnaldum – 6
He had booked earlier in the game and could not really stop the PSG engine, but it was reasonable.
Getty Images
20/22 Mohamed Salah – 6
A disappointing show from the star of last year when he failed to win the game tonight.
Getty Images
21/22 Sadio Mane – 7
Won the penalty in the first half with a good direct shot (despite the whimsical tackle on him). It was not his lightning, but not a bad performance.
Action Images via Reuters
22/22 Roberto Firmino – 6
A few small things to do with his teammates, but again, he has to do a little more.
Action Images via Reuters
But Tuchel's great success was to rephrase it as a young team with a mission. He said beforehand that his experience was far superior to that of PSG, which is technically true, but he complains of being strange when he has on the ground Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Angel di Maria and Gianluigi Buffon. And yet, Tuchel then spoke as if his team had proven something for the first time, and had made a mental breakthrough long overdue.
"It was our last opportunity to show that we could fight," said Tuchel in a specific and improved French during his press conference. "Liverpool has an incredible mentality and that is why it was necessary to show that we are able to play and fight against this team. It was our last chance to really show that we could play a big game against a big team. It was a big step forward for us.
Jurgen Klopp complained about PSG's acting game, but he was impressed by their performance and tactical courage by Tuchel. "When you saw the line-up, the approach they chose was a total risk. Especially in the beginning, they tried anything, provided their legs carried them. And with the quality that they have, it was pretty intense to handle. "
This meant in practice a 4-4-2 with Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani in front, while Neymar and Angel di Maria ranged themselves in the vast areas. Marquinhos and Marco Verratti were sitting in front of the defense to protect them. And after so many critics that they could not play with the right intensity to defeat a serious opposition, they tore Liverpool apart in the first half, in a way that made PSG teams do not play often.
Even more impressive was the two – way relationship between the team and the crowd, each feeding on the energy of the other, each player winning them whenever he had available. a second free. It's the same thing in most big clubs, but at PSG, everything is so much in procession that this emotion has appeared new in itself. Tuchel is certainly feasting too.
The challenge now, if the PSG succeeds, is to reproduce the same intensity in the last 16 games. Last year, they lost foot in two games against Real Madrid, but if they play this way in February, no one will want to come here. Not even champions back to back. Tuchel finally lit a flame here and now, he must keep it on. "We have to keep that spirit," he said. "It's good to create a new atmosphere, a new culture. We have not had experience and now we feel something. "
Maybe they will lose again in the last 16 finals or quarterfinals, as they always did in the days of Qatar. But if they do not, and this is the year they finally qualify for the serious stages, we will remember tonight against Liverpool as the evening when the penny finally fell.
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