Overcoming defending champions Bayern, PSG showed their tremendous progress. And more than ever, the Team of Paris is ready to make the dream come true.
Winning the match thanks to the away goals rule, PSG overcame Bayern to make the semi-finals. (Photo: AFP)
Overcoming defending champions Bayern, PSG showed their tremendous progress. And more than ever, the Team of Paris is ready to make the dream come true.
After neymar’s two consecutive wooden-frame strikes were Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s goal- goal, and Kylian Mbappe’s goal was denied while Bayern continued their relentless attack, all elist of PSG’s downwork.
Too many times they hold the advantage before losing it. Too many times holding the gold to let the gold fall. After all, from a dream, the Champions League becomes an obsession. Or a curse.
However, on Wednesday morning (14-4) in the Parc des Princes, PSG fought to keep the smile. Mauricio Pochettino’s men did not watch Bayern attack. They still play as they always do, with endless inspiration from Neymar, angel Di Maria’s magic and Mbappe’s wind-tearing legs. In terms of the number of clear chances, PSG created more than their opponents.
The expected 2.1 goals (Bayern’s 1.3) speaks for it. But on a strange day, all their efforts could not be converted into goals. Sometimes there are missed situations, such as Neymar’s inastible approach to Di Maria’s pass from just 2m in front of the vacant goalkeeper that astonished the Bayern players as well.
Too black at the top, but at the bottom, PSG remained firmly in defence of the result from the first leg. Presnel Kimpembe and Idrissa Gueye tackled, intercepted, tackled to create a wall in front of goal Keylor Navas, the 35-year-old goalkeeper will make superb tackles in case the other two are overtaken.
Pochettino is not Mourinho, it’s never Mourinho. But his PSG can boast a performance in defence, despite a 40th-minute goal, against the Champions League champions. The players were always in the right position that the Argentine coach asked for, then completed the huge workload he set out. Above all, they perform in concentration and composure.
During his three months in charge of PSG, Pochettino has always spoken of his composure, the missing qualities that make this team often fail in the Champions League even when ahead of their opponents. Now Les Parisiens is comfortable dealing with the pressure and making informed decisions. As at the Parc des Princes, there was no sign of panic over the tackles or the constant stuffing of the ball into the red-shirted players’ penalty area. They kept their heads cold to digestion, then moved the ball forward to conduct a counterattack.
In August last year in Lisbon, fans were heartbroken by the image of Neymar in the technical area, his hands holding his head and crying. In the 2019/20 Champions League final, the Brazilian superstar missed a good chance and PSG paid the price.
Now, Neymar is holding his head again and crying. But there are no setbacks or missed opportunities. Those were tears of happiness, after the sweet revenge opened the door to the desirable Champions League title. Neymar dreamed of it leaving Barca to join PSG, and PSG have been dreaming about it for a decade.
‘Sometimes we pretend that winning the European Championship isn’t a goal that takes up all the thought, but it always shows. And this is the time to make it come true,” said the previous year’s saying by Sporting Director Leonardo that could be used again at the moment.
Beating defending champions Bayern is an affirmation of PSG’s progress. They are back, with intact desire but better. And calmer to never fall again.
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