Paris (AFP)

The hunting table, the nerves, the sense of sacrifice, the stars ... Paris Saint-Germain has everything to pick up the scepter of Bayern that it has brought down, and finally win the Champions League after ten years of stalking .

- Karma -

PSG follows the path of a champion.

Barça in the eighth (4-1, 1-1), Bayern in the quarters (3-2, 0-1), these trophies look better than those of last year to reach the final: Dortmund, Atalanta, RB Leipzig.

"We needed to prove to ourselves that we could (beat Bayern) and we did it", welcomed Neymar at the microphone of TNT Sports Brazil, referring to the final lost last year (1 -0).

Since 2017, all the teams that eliminated Bayern went on to win the trophy.

And PSG can meditate on the karma of former European champions.

Chelsea ended up winning the C1 in 2012 after many failures, like Bayern themselves, beaten in the final in 2010 and 2012 before their triumphs in 2013 and 2020.

Alex Ferguson's Manchester United also stumbled a lot, like PSG, before winning in 1999 and 2008.

"We are really here, we are among the big clubs," savored President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi on RMC Sport.

"The team is growing, they have the experience for these kinds of matches now. We have been working for years. We have to stay calm because this tournament is not over."

- Cold blood -

This calm in the storm is perhaps the biggest milestone that PSG has crossed.

So disappointing in the final last year, he remained solid this time despite the major absences of his captain Marquinhos and his metronome Marco Verratti.

Above all, PSG has stifled a lot of its tragic end-of-game complexes, the Barcelona "remountada" (4-0, 1-6) or that of Manchester United (2-0, 1-3).

Much less panic in difficult times, unlike the round of 16 return against Barça where PSG had room after his demonstration of the first leg.

This Zen aspect is partly the merit of Mauricio Pochettino, who arrived on January 2.

"Inside, it was boiling, but I did not want to show it," said the Argentine coach.

His equanimity does his team a lot of good.

Never panicked after his four defeats in Ligue 1, he has also never plastron after the exploits in Catalonia or Munich.

- The esprit de corps -

PSG have also shown a collective sense and impressive sacrifice, and essential to great conquests.

"We are really a team. We talked a lot during the match. We saw that Di Maria ran a lot," said Neymar.

Angel Di Maria "thinks that the best team is over. They were the best team last year, they were champions, but this year we are better than them".

And the PSG even discovered a depth of bench thanks to players trained at the club.

"It's something to see" Titis "on the field (players trained in Paris like him and Colin Dagba). It shows the soul of the club and its values. The club continues to grow. proof, "said Presnel Kimpembe, captain Tuesday.

- The stars -

But of course all his qualities would not be enough to make a European champion.

You need stars, and PSG have two.

With a dust of success and without Manuel Neuer, Neymar could sign a quadruplet on Tuesday.

This time he really played his role of guide, without taking the warning that would have deprived him of a semi-final to go against Manchester City or Dortmund.

Kylian Mbappé, in the service of the team, could have signed two wonderful assists.

He had fully fulfilled his role with his double in the first leg and his hat-trick in Barcelona.

Nasser Al-Khelaïfi took advantage of the euphoria to appeal to his stars, in negotiations to extend their contracts beyond 2022.

"Kylian and Neymar have no excuses to leave," says the president with a smile, "because we have everything to win the Champions League here now".

Neymar seemed to respond favorably by stressing that he was "happier than before" in Paris.

And now, remains to go to the end!

© 2021 AFP