Paris (AFP)
Silence and resounding success: behind closed doors, PSG overturned Dortmund 2-0 Wednesday in the eighth return to the Champions League, erasing three years of curse to reach the quarter-finals, which will be missing the Liverpool defender, guillotined by the 'Atlético (3-2 ap).
- PSG twists the neck with bad luck -
For Paris, everything was strange in this evening, which began with a fireworks display over the Parc des Princes and ended with a mad rush of Parisian players, naked torsos, in front of the empty stands of all the supporters due to restrictions related to the coronavirus epidemic.
After three successive PSG failures in the eighth, it was time for Neymar, scorer but disappointing in the 2-1 first leg loss to Germany three weeks ago. The Brazilian, recruited in 2017 to light up this kind of evening, responded after being prevented for two years in a row by injuries.
Despite a poor reception at the start of the match, which raised fears for his right shoulder (7th), he led the way by opening the scoring on a corner from a diving head (28th), the 400th goal of his professional career.
"Ney" was also involved at the start of the action of the second goal, concluded by a center from Pablo Sarabia and a deviation from Juan Bernat (45 + 1). And, involved in the exclusion of Emre Can (89th), the star striker ended the evening in tears, as if the pressure finally fell.
In this very particular context, PSG was well helped by the non-match of Dortmund, too clumsy offensively, like the failed attempts of Jadon Sancho (36th, 37th) and the invisible Erling Haaland, hero of the match go to the BVB side.
But this time, unlike the collapses suffered in 2017 during the "Ascension" in Barcelona (4-0, 1-6), or last year against Manchester United (2-0, 1-3), Paris did not crack in the end. Quite the opposite of Borussia, who finished ten after the exclusion of Can.
It is a relief for the Parisian trainer Thomas Tuchel, but it must only be the beginning of the conquest, provided that the C1, disturbed by the coronavirus, can go to its end this season ...
- The tenant Liverpool breaks his teeth -
Thunderbolt at Anfield! Liverpool, reigning European champion, hoped to be able to erase the defeat suffered in the first leg (1-0), in the fervor of his stadium where the supporters were indeed present, but the holder fell in the round of 16 .
The "Reds", however, dominated at home, leading 2-0 at the start of overtime on a goal by Roberto Firmino (94th), before sinking inexplicably, victims of a double from Marcos Llorente (97th, 105th + 1).
Under a pouring rain, the "Reds" may regret their many wasted opportunities facing the defensive block of "Colchoneros" and the imperial goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Certainly, the Slovenian goalkeeper could not do anything on the opening of the score, a stung and powerful head of the Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum (43rd). But when Liverpool entered a seat in good standing of the opponent's cage, finding the transverse by Andy Robertson (67th), Oblak multiplied, the defense of "Atleti" tightened the ranks and the old methods of the coach Diego Simeone, courage and cunning, worked once again.
The Atlético gave Anfield a thrill, in the last minute of added time, with a goal from Saul's header. But the referee logically canceled it for offside (90th + 3) and condemned the two teams to overtime ... where Marcos Llorente played the heroes.
The defensive midfielder scored twice in quick succession, then Alvaro Morata sealed the score against (120th + 1). Enough to send the "Colchoneros" in quarter and offer them the scalp of the "Reds" of Liverpool.
© 2020 AFP