Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain apparently already have tickets for the quarter-finals of the Champions League in their pockets. While the nationally badly hit “Reds”, at least in the premier football class, set the course for promotion with a 2-0 win in the first leg of the first leg against RB Leipzig, FC Barcelona travels to the French capital with a 4-1 win. Both losers announced rehabilitation for Wednesday (9 p.m. / live Sky or DAZN).
Liverpool have lost six of their last seven games in the Premier League. Leipzig celebrated eight wins in a row in the Bundesliga and the cup. The Saxons did not want to attach great importance to this. “We are not interested in the league results from Liverpool, because we are currently the loser of the duel. That’s why we’re not the favorites, but the challengers, ”said RB coach Julian Nagelsmann. Due to German travel restrictions, the game will be played again in Budapest. Liverpool won there three weeks ago.
He can understand that Liverpool is going through a hard time, said Nagelsmann. “But they will manage it, the players are too good for that and the coach even more,” said the 33-year-old about his compatriot Jürgen Klopp. After the announcement of Joachim Löws Aus after the European Championships on Tuesday, he was immediately brought into play as the successor to the national coach. Klopp saw his team challenged not only because of their own misery. “Leipzig is currently in the Bundesliga,” said the German. “They won’t give up just because they’re 2-0 down.”
Two facts should give Leipzig courage. On the one hand, both Liverpool goals in the first leg resulted from blackouts. On the other hand, RB has found its game again offensively, scoring eleven goals in the past four games. Marcel Sabitzer could also be back at the Champions League semi-finalist from the previous season. The captain missed the 3-0 win in Freiburg at the weekend due to calf problems, but was on the plane to Budapest. Austria’s international will be additionally motivated after his fatal mistake before the 0: 1 in the first leg.
In the second round of the second leg, Barcelona are faced with an almost impossible task. Paris Saint-Germain clearly won the first leg at Camp Nou after a gala performance by Kylian Mbappe. For the French, the lack of superstar Neymar doesn’t seem to matter either. The Brazilian will also miss the second leg due to an adductor injury but has resumed training, PSG said.
The French supporters were only afraid of another major relapse, as they had already experienced. Almost exactly four years ago, Barcelona threw the Parisians out of the competition after a legendary 6-1 in the second leg. The now PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino noted that his team was “untouched” by the past. “If you concentrate on the past, you limit your options for the future,” said the Argentine. “In football, only conviction brings you closer to victory,” he said.
In Barcelona, the election of Joan Laporta as the new club boss ensured a little relaxation in the club. The old and new president immediately announced that he was hopeful that Lionel Messi would remain loyal to Barcelona. According to reports, PSG in particular should try very hard for the services of the star, who will not be released in the summer. Before the trip to Paris, Laporta is said to have acted as a motivator during a visit to the cabin. “I believe in a comeback and I know that you are capable of it,” he is said to have given the professionals. Barca will need at least four goals to be able to turn things around. Too much offensive spirit could be extremely dangerous against the fast Mbappe.
From: apa
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