Psg-Bayern: Icardi on the bench for 90 ‘in the Champions League final

Maurito does not set foot on the pitch against Bayern in the first European final of his career. And Tuchel prefers the Cameroonian striker for the assault in search of a draw

He hadn’t imagined it that way, the first European final of his career. Mauro Icardi remained for 90 minutes to suffer on the bench, with the mask covering not only his mouth, but also the disappointment that rose minute by minute. Because it’s okay not to start when you have monsters like Neymar, Mbappé and Di Maria in front of you, but if Choupo-Moting comes in your place, then something is not right. Even when PSG went down for Coman’s goal, Tuchel did not remember him. The arrival of the Cameroonian striker in the 80th minute in place of Di Maria was the final joke. No field, no cup.

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Balance

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Icardi closes his first Champions League in Paris with 7 appearances and 5 goals. Not bad, if you don’t analyze the numbers thoroughly. Because Maurito in the round of 16, fourth with Atalanta, semifinal with Leipzig and final with Bayern has accumulated just 79 ‘, those played (badly) against the Goddess for lack of alternatives (Mbappé in half service, Di Maria disqualified). Obviously zero goals. For the rest, only long benches. The Argentine striker had scored all the goals in the group stage: two against Galatasaray and three against Bruges. The scene changes against the only other big player in the group, Real Madrid. When it started to get serious, Tuchel forgot about him.

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Hierarchies

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The last benches can also be explained by an approximate physical condition. In the post lockdown Icardi seemed hollow, both in the finals in France with Lyon and St. Etienne, and in the match against Atalanta. But the reasoning seems to be wider, because Tuchel had also excluded him in the double confrontation with Borussia Dortmund, giving up the first leg to the center forward (choice repeated in the semifinals and final) and preferring the departing Cavani to the return. Here, the first alarm bell rang on March 12 at the Parco dei Principi, because one thing is to set Icardi aside for tactical reasons, another to prefer an outgoing player (albeit of a level …) or Choupo Moting, as in the final assault tonight. Icardi will have to ask himself what the hierarchies of the German coach really are, as long as he remains on the PSG bench. Because the club has invested 50 million euros in him and the Argentine cannot be satisfied with being relegated to such a marginal role. But at the same time Maurito must also think about his way of being on the pitch. At Inter he was the only offensive terminal, as well as the captain, who was forgiven for a certain absence in the pressing phase or in helping the development of the maneuver. In Paris he is surrounded by champions, if he wants to find space he must first change the way he is on the pitch. Otherwise, the finals will continue to watch them. No longer from the TV, but from the sidelines.

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