Time to finish the race. On the verge of elimination a month ago, the Paris SG wants to seal his qualification for the round of 16 of the Champions League, this evening against Basaksehir Istanbul (9:00 p.m.), and why not the first place of the group.
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It is as if the PSG had experienced a collision at the start, then a puncture, but found itself in the lead before the last lap. In this dense group H, with the paces of F1 racing, the red and blue racing car succeeded the hardest, with an acceleration that left its competitors Manchester United and RB Leipzig on the floor.
Victorious over the Germans (1-0) then in England (3-1), the Parisians have the field clear: a single point will be enough for them to see the final phase, which they have never missed since the arrival of their owner Qatari in 2011. A victory against the Turks, who have nothing more to play, will even offer them first place, the guarantee of avoiding Bayern or Liverpool from the 8th, during the draw scheduled for next Monday.
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The scenario is almost too good for PSG, on the verge of breakage after two defeats in the first three days. So beautiful that his trainer Thomas Tuchel has redoubled his vigilance. I don’t want to let a single one of my guys think we’ve done it all now. We still have to take the last step
, warned the Swabian technician on Wednesday, the evening of the exploit at Old Trafford.
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“We are ramping up”
Concerned about the health of a workforce severely affected by injuries this season, he left his Neymar, Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe and Marco Verratti engines at rest for the trip to Montpellier on Saturday. But the current dynamic is such that his second team has imposed itself in the Hérault (3-1), suggesting that PSG had finally found its cruising speed after a mixed start to the season. We are ramping up and it shows, the most important is that. When we needed it, we were there
, agreed the sports director Leonardo at the microphone of Canal +, Saturday.
Insurance taken by recruits Moise Kean and Rafinha, at the 100th goal finally scored by Kylian Mbappé at PSG, new lights have switched to green for Paris which, a week ago, suffered against Bordeaux (2-2). We must show again on Tuesday that we have really changed since Bordeaux. If we are ready to suffer, to sacrifice ourselves, to remain disciplined in the structure and the game plan but also physically, we are a strong team.
, adds Tuchel.
“Not easy”
In short, everything is in the head, for players to whom their coach had criticized the lack of investment against the Girondins. Paris is its worst opponent, because on paper, it is arch-favorite against a novice club in C1, which has not won any of its last six matches in all competitions. It will not be easy, we saw against Leipzig (defeat in extremis of the Turks, 4-3) that can happen anything and everything with them in a few moments. We inevitably expect a complicated match
, tempered midfielder Danilo Pereira on the PSG site.
The return to form of superstar Neymar, who was injured on the way to Turkey (2-0 victory), led to that of Mbappé, who confided the Liberation
caused by his goal on Saturday, after a small air hole in overthinking
. Ability
must now score again in C1, he whose last achievement dates back to December 11, 2019, against the Turks (Galatasaray, 5-0). After Istanbul, PSG have new sharp turns to negotiate before the Holidays.
The reception of Lyon on Sunday then the trip to Lille on December 20, two Ligue 1 shocks, will allow us to say whether the team confirms its good form. And whether, yes or no, PSG has really started its season.
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