56 ‘
And now it’s 3-0. Oof. Disaster for RB Leipzig.
Bernat gets this one after a comedy of errors by the defenders of Leipzig.
55 ‘
Two changes for Leipzig help.
Emil Forsberg and Patrik Schick came on for Leipzig to start the second half (Olmo and Nkunku, who had both largely missed the first half). There is a bit more threat from Leipzig early on, but no real chances until Forsberg makes a shot over Rico’s cross ball in half a few minutes.
46 ‘
The second half begins, and the PSG subs are already showing signs of life.
Is it worth noting that PSG was the most relaxed – or was it the most out of practice? – team in the field in Lisbon after the French league, only among the top leagues of Europe, ended its season early, in March, due to the coronavirus pandemic. That made PSG the champions again, but it also left their players without game fitness, and susceptible to injuries like shots. It is possible Thomas Tuchel, if he thinks this game is in fact in hand, could try to rest a few players for Sunday’s final.
Half past
RB Leipzig can only blame themselves for that half.
It’s hard not to think that Leipzig have been complicated in their own downfall: Peter Gulacsi’s mistake for PSG’s (probably decisive) second goal was only the last, and most important, incident in which Julian Nagelsmann’s team was notoriously uncomfortable with the ball. All high-pressure teams have an element of chaos about them – it’s what makes the whole thing – but at a stage like this, against opponents of this quality, it needs to be used much more effectively.
But that should not detract from just how good PSG, and in particular his top three, have been (with a nod to Leandro Paredes’ stunning attack in midfield).
Neymar may have forgotten how to shoot, but he produced 135 of his best minutes in the Champions League last week; the first half here, as well as the quarter-final win against Atalanta, is at a level he has not consistently produced in this competition since Barcelona’s 6-1 win over his current employers in 2017. Kylian Mbappé is full of menace, as always, a player out to prove his time has come; Ángel Di María is the perfect complement to both. The concept that they have forged among themselves, and that is nurtured by Thomas Tuchel, is wonderful to look at, and at times appears completely unstoppable.
