Champions League: in the face of adversity, Paris wants to break its curse against Dortmund

At PSG, the years go by and look alike. March arrives and the elements gang up against Paris Saint-Germain. Improbable match scenarios, injuries and now the epidemic of coronavirus which deprives the men of Thomas Tuchel of their supporters because of a sanitary lock-up for the reception of Dortmund Wednesday March 11 (9:00 pm Paris time).

Paris Saint-Germain has no room for error, however. On the outward journey, Kylian Mbappé and his team-mates foiled and finally lost 2 to 1 against the Germans led by their flamboyant nugget Erling Haaland and carried by the excited atmosphere of the "Yellow Wall".

For this return match, the French club counted on its own 13th man, the support of the 48,000 supporters that a Parc des Princes can count, to reverse the situation. The global coronavirus epidemic and its rapid development in France decided otherwise: the Paris police headquarters announced that the match would take place behind closed doors.

Until the last minute, PSG leaders tried to negotiate with the Ministry of Sports and the Paris police headquarters to avoid this much-feared scenario. In vain.

The curse of the final phase?

What put water to the mill of the curse of the PSG Qatari version. Indeed, in recent years, while C1 is the stated objective of the club's owners, Paris Saint-Germain has never made it past the quarter-finals despite the hundreds of millions invested. For three seasons, a pattern even seems to emerge: the blue and red perform a first round of the Champions League almost perfect, before collapsing inexplicably in knockout matches.

In 2017, PSG had experienced its dismal ascent against FC Barcelona. After a show of force in the first leg (4-0), the Parisians were out due to a return match defying all statistics (6-1). In 2019, after having mastered Manchester United at Old Trafford (0-2), the Mancunian "kids" humiliated Thomas Tuchel's players on their own lawn (1-3). A new failure this year could also sign the end of the German technician on the Parisian bench.

2013: Messi rolls up his socks
2014: Ba tibia
2015: David Luiz's horse blood
2016: 3-5-2
2017: remontada
2018: metatarsus
2019: metatarsus S2 + lunar return match
2020: coronavirus + in camera

We can't wait for the Wednesday evening update. Karma.

Injuries have also plagued PSG in recent years. Neymar, bought for a record $ 222 million in the summer of 2017 to help the club pass a milestone, has never been able to support his teammates in the knockout stages of the competition until Wednesday.

A truncated preparation and team

However, chase away the misfortune, it comes back at a gallop. It is now the French prodigy Kylian Mbappé who is diminished. Sick, the PSG striker missed training on Monday, casting doubt on his participation. If the French star should finally be in the game, his physical preparation for the shock of the Champions League is inevitably affected.

Just like that of his team, which was deprived of dress rehearsal in the league since the match against Strasbourg on March 7 was canceled due to the coronavirus. The cancellation certainly allows Parisian players to have additional rest compared to their opponents who laboriously imposed themselves at Mönchengladbach on Saturday (2 to 1). However, some players may find themselves lacking in rhythm on the pitch. Like Neymar who, since his missed match in the round of 16, could only play two small games because of a red card.

Add to that, the absence of the lateral Thomas Meunier and Marco Verratti midfielder, suspended, and the uncertainty around captain Thiago Silva, back from injury, the reputation of Parisians fishers is far from usurped.

Disappointed supporters who want to believe it

"Supporting PSG is learning to suffer!" : supporters expected at the Parc des Princes want to be philosophical after these new fates

"Every year, something happens. Today I have a feeling of inevitability," said Simon (28), interviewed by AFP. He was to attend the match with his brother, who came from Toulon for the occasion and was "disappointed". "Today, I am convinced that we will be eliminated. The players will not transcend without an audience."

The prefecture's decision may not prevent supporters from gathering on the evening of the match, in bars or around the Park. The Collectif ultras Paris (CUP), the main group of supporters, invited the fans to meet on Wednesday around the stadium before the match, so that "the players can hear us from outside and continue to believe:

#onestPARIS #EnsembleNousSommesInvicibles @PSG_inside pic.twitter.com/kLtig2YRKJ

"Players, staff, leaders, if you want to win, play like warriors, make them tremble, have no mercy!", They demand, thereby renewing a call already launched on February 23 in more flowery terms: "" Kombouare , Gino, Rai, it was the rage to conquer. Silva, Mbappé, Neymar, fear of winning? Wear your c *******. "

"Kombouare, Gino, Raí it was the rage to overcome
Silva, Mbappé, Neymar fear of winning?
Do your balls "

The Outcasts had a message to convey ... pic.twitter.com/0sxLuJNYc8

Because the hope of the supporters is there: while the conditions seem the most unfavorable, that the players finally find the mental resources to impose themselves in adversity. And what would be more ironic than breaking the curse in the resounding silence of a camera?

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