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“The lot gave us an absolute hammer opponent,” Oliver Kahn said on Friday after the draw for the Champions League quarterfinals.
“Of course, I have to think immediately about the final in Lisbon,” said the board member of the triple winner. Not surprising, because in Munich’s great triumph in the premier class final, FC Bayern took on Paris Saint-Germain last.
The two teams will again duel each other in the quarterfinals. Much has changed at PSG since August 23, 2020.
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But how dangerous are the French series champions at the moment, what has changed since the last duel and is the Munich team threatened with rematch?
Pochettino, the new man on the sidelines
The clearest difference: PSG have had a new coach since the CL final. Thomas Tuchel is no longer on the sidelines, so he is not expecting any German coaching duels. Instead, an Argentine sits in the French coach’s chair.
Mauricio Pochettino has controlled the French capital since January 2. Tuchel had previously been released, apparently found out on Christmas Eve. The reasons for the dismissal: mixed results and the long-term dispute with sports director Leonardo.
Within days of taking office, Pochettino won his first title with the French Super Cup. Leonardo and those responsible will have patted each other on the shoulder because the former PSG professional is a good choice from many points of view.
In his four years at Tottenham Hotspur, Pochettino gained experience with a top-tier team and is popular with soccer fans and experts alike. After a hiatus of more than a year, he arrived in Paris rested and full of action.
In terms of average points, the 49-year-old is currently unable to match his predecessor. After 18 competitive games he doesn’t have bad stats with 2.28 points per game. Tuchel was able to show an average of 2.35 points at PSG in 127 games.
However, Pochettino has the advantage in terms of goals conceded. Tuchel was there with a strong 0.92 in his PSG time: Pochettino only conceded 0.66 goals. An impressive number that will undoubtedly worry Bayern manager Hansi Flick, whose team conceded an average of 1.2 goals in all competitions this season.
Even the championship is in jeopardy
The outlook in the French league is still very unusual: PSG is still not at the top of the Ligue 1 table, as when it was fired from Tuchel. After 29 match days, Lille OSC is three points ahead of the capital’s star team (Ligue 1 results and schedule).
The championship is in danger, although it is a requirement at PSG every year. Double should be obtained in passing, the big target of Qatari investors is the control well, which Tuchel narrowly missed.
But why is it not so sporty this season?
The reasons are complex. One was the slow start to the season, which probably has a lot to do with the final of the Lisbon tournament and the final against Bayern.
In theory, PSG should have started the season a few days later. The first day was postponed, but the team was anything but fit even with a delayed start, it is not surprising without a break and preparation. With Tuchel, PSG lost two of the first three games of the season.
And the stars?
When it comes to PSG’s success, Neymar’s name obviously plays a big role. The Brazilian has, once again, to deal with injury concerns this season. At the beginning of the season he also fell ill with the corona virus. So far more games have been lost than completed.
The good news, or the bad news for Bayern: Neymar should be able to train thoroughly again in the coming days. Most likely, he’ll be in cookie-cutter shape in the quarterfinals; the only question is whether he will return to 100 percent after his adductor injury.
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Another ray of hope: Another superstar seems to be getting better from week to week this season. Kylian Mbappé scored three goals in a 4-1 win in the first leg of the first leg against FC Barcelona. The progression against Barça was impressive anyway, the 4-1 at Camp Nou was followed by a 1-1 at the Parc des Princes.
And: With Mauro Icardi, another star has recovered from his injury and recently hit the target again (Champions League results and schedule).
The second leg against Barcelona also featured a player who is not usually one of the team’s great stars: Keylor Navas. The Costa Rican saved a penalty from Lionel Messi and otherwise showed a great performance.
What stood out against Barcelona: The team was excited and the team spirit was omnipresent. It has not always been like that at PSG. This factor could also cause problems for Bayern. The fact is that Munich will probably face the best PSG of the season, again with Neymar. And it is also a fact that this offense is world class, and Bavaria’s defense is not in all situations.
And teams that have lost a CL final are particularly dangerous next season. Bayern can win a song from that.
