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Still alive, PSG have given themselves the right to believe in their dream: to finally win the Champions League. Designated favorite of his quarter-final against Atalanta Bergamo, but short of rhythm and handicapped by several absences, the club of the capital nevertheless came very close to a humiliating defeat, on his fiftieth birthday. But on the edge of the abyss after the opening scoring of Mario Pasalic shortly before the half-hour mark, the players coached by Thomas Tuchel were able to draw on their resources to snatch their qualification in added time, thanks to Marquinhos and Choupo-Moting. After a very complicated first half, Paris gradually raised its level of play, well helped by winning coaching from Tuchel, and a decisive entry from a decidedly essential Kylian Mbappé.
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Mbappé's decisive entry
His entry on the hour mark has clearly changed the game. Directly placed on the left wing, the French striker, just recovered from an ankle injury and long uncertain for the meeting, brought dynamism and scoring opportunities like this raid that he could not conclude (74th, 80th). "His entry gave an energy to PSG which was losing the match, it was fundamental because of what it brought", moreover readily recognized Gian Piero Gasperini, the coach of Atalanta Bergamo, at the end of the meeting.
© David Ramos / POOL / AFP
Mbappé "completely charred Bergamo with his breakthroughs and his appeals," added Jimmy Algerino, consultant to Europe 1, during the debrief of the match. For his colleague Guy Roux, counting in his ranks a fit Mbappé, "this gives great strength and great confidence". The young world champion "is a boy who has created a danger each time, outstrips his opponent. He has completed his game. It gives the team 20% more for the future," said the former coach. emblematic of AJ Auxerre.
A winning coaching
The entry of Mbappé during the meeting proved right to the Parisian coach Thomas Tuchel, who had chosen to leave him on the bench at the start of the meeting, even if it meant taking advantage of his lightning accelerations later. For the consultants of Europe 1, it is all the coaching of the German that is to be welcomed. "We can put it down to the coach. He has found solutions. Tonight, his changes make the difference," said Jimmy Algerino. In addition, he also recalls, "the entry of Paredes was very interesting on the physical impact and the game". With these tactical adjustments, PSG "gained 20 meters on the pitch, which forced Bergamo to defend," he said.
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The drop in pace of Atalanta
For Guy Roux, "PSG had a very different second half from the first, and gained the upper hand over their opponent, who perhaps was above their average level in the first period and paid him afterwards" . "Physically, they drew. The first half may have been too much for them, and that put them in the red," said Jimmy Algerino. "They ended up suffering too much, and the return of a fresh and fast player like Mbappé against a team that is withdrawing, it can hurt," adds Patrick Juillard.
An unexpected hero, Choupo-Moting
But the real hero of the evening is obviously Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. A time not qualified for the competition, and long mocked for his clumsiness, it was he who delivered his partners with a goal at the end of added time. "He played an incredible ten minutes," congratulated his team-mate Herrera after the meeting. And on the equalizer, it is already the Cameroonian international who delivers the center for Neymar who has put away for Marquinhos.
A clumsy Neymar, but at the heart of all offensives
Mbappé on the bench, Neymar had everything to be the hero of the evening. But the Brazilian lacked efficiency in front of goal, like his huge missed opportunity at the start of the match, when "Ney" opened his way to the goal on his own by perforating the defense, before opening his foot too much. once in front of the goal.
But this ineffectiveness should not make us forget that the former star of FC Barcelona was at the heart of all the offensives, especially in the first period. "I found him in legs. He did not add any and knew how to provoke and make his teammates play," said Jimmy Algerino, when Nabil Djellit, also a consultant for Europe 1, pointed out that the Brazilian was playing "with two ghosts", namely Icardi and Sarabia, very discreet. "We felt he was a little too lonely, that someone was missing next door", adds Jimmy Algerino. And when Mbappé returned, "" we immediately saw that it was growing and that its acceleration capacity made the difference. "