Paris (AFP)
"Libérééééé, deliveredééééé"! Stronger than the closed door, the coronavirus, and the disillusionment in series in the eighth, the PSG, defeated 2-1 in the first leg, knocked down Dortmund (2-0) Wednesday at the return to find the quarterfinals of the Ligue des champions, despite the absence of its supporters.
Paris outraged by the greats of Europe. Paris shattered by the wounds of its stars. Paris martyred by the "remontadas" and other incredible scenarios. But Paris freed from the curse of the round of 16!
The "liberators" of the PSG? They have neither the verb nor the size of General De Gaulle but made a giant leap to catapult the ball into the goals, either from the head like Neymar (28th) or from the tip of the foot like Juan Bernat (45 + 1 ).
Sacred "king" on his arrival in Paris in 2017 before he even won the European crown, "Ney" owed revenge to PSG since the 222 million euros spent to recruit him: go from executioner to traumatic "ascendant" Barça hero behind closed doors against Dortmund. It is finally done thanks to the 400th goal of his career.
The stakes were high for Paris: the imperative return to the European Top 8, which has been denied to him since 2016, for the year of its fiftieth anniversary, and the credibility of the Qatari project, programmed for the greatest success thanks to its investments staggering since 2011 but has become the laughingstock of the football planet by its propensity to scuttle in key moments. Like during the incredible Manchester United comeback in 2019 ...
- The supporters cracked the camera -
Three weeks after falling against the "Yellow Wall" of Dortmund, Paris could not rely on a Parc des Princes in fusion on the return to reverse the situation on the return. The blame for the Covid-19 epidemic, which forced the authorities to order the camera.
Not enough to despair the most motivated Parisian fans, however! If the players could not see the tifo prepared for several weeks by the Collectif ultras Paris (CUP), the main group of supporters met Wednesday in front of the Park, so that "the players hear them from outside "with firecrackers and fireworks.
In the enclosure, the CUP even managed to leave banners of encouragement in the turn like "Mbappé> Haaland", "Our only virus is the PSG", "Play like warriors" or "Qualify- us! ", while the giant screen of the stadium was broadcasting images of smoke bombs lit near the Porte d'Auteuil. Successful bet.
Outclassed in Dortmund by the ardor of Erling Haaland and the tactical intelligence of Emre Can, PSG has corrected its faults on the pitch from the outset: from defensive engagement in the image of a revenge Neymar, high pressing and various attacks.
- Tuchel takes revenge, Neymar as a hero -
Author of a failed tactical bet on the outward journey, Parisian coach Thomas Tuchel was able to tame last minute annoyances. Thiago Silva's package, combined with angina from Kylian Mbappé and suspensions from Thomas Meunier and Marco Verratti, however, turned his preparations for the composition of his team upside down.
But with Marquinhos in central defense, the tandem Leandro Paredes-Idrissa Gueye in the midfield, or the presence of Pablo Sarabia on the front of the attack, Tuchel found solutions to endanger his old club.
If Borussia was on the verge of opening the scoring (19th, 22nd), the best opportunity was the work of Edinson Cavani on a heavy strike deflected in extremis by Roman Bürki (25th). The announcement of a happy ending in stride.
Three minutes later, Neymar, on receiving a corner from Di Maria, freed himself from the scoring to open the score with an unstoppable diving head (1-0, 28th). With its outside goal, Paris is qualified at this time.
Pushed by the sound instructions of their trainer, audible from the television set, the Parisians did not relax their efforts to make the break just before the break through Juan Bernat (2-0, 45 + 1).
Upon returning from the locker room, the shaker did not contaminate the Parisian formation. Serious and diligent, despite the numerous yellow and black waves, Marquinhos' team members knew how to keep their decisive lead. To finally rediscover the taste of a European spring.
© 2020 AFP