To win in Ligue 1, you still have to win at home: Paris SG, brilliant on the European scene, receives Saint-Etienne on Sunday (1:00 p.m.) at the Parc des Princes, where Mauricio Pochettino’s team did not win only one of his last six official matches. Can do better!
This is the whole paradox of PSG this season: qualified on Tuesday brilliantly for the last four of the Champions League, and still in the running for a treble L1-Coupe-C1, the Parisian club barely more than usual to home.
The reigning French champion also remains on three defeats in a row in his stadium in L1 (Monaco, Nantes, Lille), his worst series since 2007.
Setbacks behind closed doors, of course, without the noisy support of the Parisian ultras, but it is a task in the club’s performance chart.
As for the two return matches against Barcelona (4-1, 1-1) then Bayern Munich (3-2, 0-1), in C1, they are a bit of a sham: the result of the first leg n ‘did not require PSG to win at all costs at home on the return.
– “Difficult to understand” –
Pochettino himself does not see many rational explanations for this bad series: “It is a good question. And it is a question which we must answer (Sunday)”, launched Saturday the trainer, always also little said at a press conference.
Last week, the Argentinian also said to see in this aspect an axis of improvement for the coming months: “It’s difficult to understand, but at the end of the season, it will be necessary to analyze if it was punctual or s ‘there is an explanation, especially if we continue to play without an audience. “
Anyway, “Pocket” knows that PSG can come back very strongly in the title race if it beats Saint-Etienne on Sunday at lunchtime: Paris (2nd, 66 pts) would then follow a length of the Losc (1st, 70 pts), slowed down 1-1 on Friday by Montpellier at the opening of the weekend.
But for that, you have to become master at home again. No longer let the opponent get comfortable in the Park. And succeed, if possible, a full card at home in all competitions, whether in the Championship, in the quarter of the Coupe de France Wednesday against Angers or in the semi-final first leg of the Champions League on April 28 against Manchester City.
“We have to improve our performance and obtain a positive result” on Sunday, insisted Pochettino. “We have a new opportunity to close the gap with Lille. The most important thing is to show a good performance on our lawn. We have to win at home if we want to win Ligue 1.”
– Navas package –
Except that to face the Greens, Paris advances again diminished by absences.
Pochettino faces the suspensions of Neymar, Leandro Paredes and Idrissa Gana Gueye for this meeting counting for the 33rd day of L1.
And the glitch of the essential goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who “remains in care for shoulder pain” according to the club and will give way in the Parisian cage to Sergio Rico on Sunday, comes to furnish an infirmary where notably the defenders Abdou appear. Diallo (calf) and Marquinhos (thigh).
“We approach (these absences) with optimism, remaining positive,” said Pochettino. “These are difficult circumstances but we always keep confidence,” he added, while acknowledging having “still some doubts” about the eleven he will align against ASSE.
Maybe he will finally blow some of the executives who have chained a lot in recent weeks, starting with the superstar Kylian Mbappé, top scorer in the L1 (21 goals)? Perhaps he will relaunch Mauro Icardi, who hasn’t started for more than a month?
“If we want to stay competitive, all players are important,” said Pochettino. Just as much is winning again at the Parc des Princes.
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