It’s 12.40pm and Thiago Silva is the first Paris Saint-Germain player to get off the bus at the Myriad Hotel in central Lisbon, for the last time. Contrary to his dreams, however, the captain does not hold the trophy of the Champions League. Instead, he walks through to the hotel entrance, mask on his face, AirPods in his ears, white plastic bag with his match shirt in his hand … and he seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. After eight years, Silva has played his last game for the club. He will leave with great memories, but without the Holy Grail.
The rest of the squad and the technical staff follow him, like a funeral march. Thomas Tuchel with his crutches is there, in the middle of the pack. Outside, fans who stood up to welcome their defeated heroes sang “thank you, Paris, thank you.” It is not much comfort for the Parisians, after losing a cruel final. Hardly one of them recognizes the fans. Neymar does that. He is the last player to come off the coach and he offers a wave.
Inside the Myriad, a late dinner is ready, but most players go straight to their rooms. They will not be able to sleep. How could you? Since referee Daniele Orsato blew the final whistle, which meant a 1-0 win for Bayern Munich, the important moments have been played moment and time in their heads. Had they taken their chances? Could she have defended better for the winning goal of Kingsley Coman? What if Marco Verratti was fit to get started? So many questions, so few answers.
There are a lot of regrets, of course. In the changing room after the final whistle, the comforting words of coach Tuchel, sports director Leonardo or president Nasser al-Khelaifi, who told the players after the game that they were proud of, were a pleasant consolation. Neymar had tears in his eyes. The Brazilian sat next to Kylian Mbappe on one side, and Silva on the other. Both tried to comfort an unreliable player. So far in Neymar’s career, big finals have been his forte, especially in winning the Copa Libertadores (2011), Champions League (2015) and Olympic Games (2016). This time he came up short and his display was disappointing. He looked lost as he tried to save the game alone, when the clock struck.
PSG had great chances to make this final their own. They had to be super clinical. Instead, they were left with missed opportunities. What perhaps does most is that it was her two superstars, her two princes, who were wrongly wrong. First Neymar, then Mbappe, one early and the other late in the first half. They could become kings of Europe right here. But Manuel Neuer was a colossus in the Bayern goal.
On the opposite side of the room, Mauro Icardi is also silent. The Argentine did not even get off the bench, just like in the semi-final against RB Leipzig, and just like in both legs of the round of 16 against Borussia Dortmund. A € 60 million player sat on the bench. The big difference was that PSG really needed him in this game. Instead, Tuchel chose Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, the savior in the quarterfinals against Atalanta. It was a decision that seemed to defy reason. If the coach’s tactical approach for the first hour was effective, his decisions to score Bayern were questionable. Angel Di Maria should not be replaced. Icardi would have to come.
Rumors soon resurfaced, and they had never been far away, that Tuchel would be fired. Officially, the line is that he will be on the PSG bench next season (if we have to say this season, saw the Ligue 1 campaign 2020-21 which started on Friday night?). It would be tough, considering he has just taken PSG to a first Champions League final in the club’s history and to winning the domestic treble. He should get the chance to build on that.
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Craig Burley and Frank Leboeuf react after Bayern Munich won the Champions League final against PSG.
There are enough positives to take from this extraordinary season 2019-20, even if they seem so far away at the moment. This team is finally a team. PSG took a side from Bayern that beat Barcelona 8-2 in the semi-finals on the wire. They have shown great cohesion and with some additions to the team they can come back stronger. If the best player for the opposition is their goalkeeper, the performance of your own team should come with a lot of credit.
But there are things to repair. When Thomas Meunier agreed to ask Borussia Dortmund for a free transfer, he also opted for the Champions League mini-tournament. At that, Thilo Kehrer was noted down for a hat trick! With Silva now gone, PSG need a top-class center-back to replace him. Even if Marquinhos drops back in defense, that leaves a hole in the defensive midfield. Leonardo will have to be smart and shy. It will not be about signing a big name, it will be about signing the right name.
More important is that Mbappe and Neymar stay at the club. The club hopes to open talks on extending their contracts, both of which expire in June 2022. But rumors of moving big money to Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively will not go away. That PSG is on the right track could help persuade the two strikers to sign.
The disappointment and frustration for the entire squad at the moment will be enormous, but they will return home with their heads high. They made their club, their fans and their community proud. However, they do not have much time to reflect, as on Saturday they will have to leave Lens when their Ligue 1 title defense starts. Tuchel and his players will have to overcome their Lisbon hangover quickly and shift their focus to the league. Champions League finalist if not, no one will give them a pass stupid.
For now, this will be seen as an enormously missed opportunity, but PSG should hope that it is the first of many and not just an isolated moment.
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