Champions League: PSG must eliminate Leipzig to experience a historic final

Text by: Farid Achache Follow

4 min

After overthrowing Bergamo in added time in the quarter-finals, Paris Saint-Germain faces Leipzig in the semi-finals on Tuesday, August 18, without their goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who is injured.

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Absent from the last four of the Champions League since 1995, Paris Saint-Germain now has the opportunity to achieve the best course in its history in European competition in case of victory against Leipzig, who qualified by beating the Atlético Madrid.

This new formula of the C1 may have allowed the club of the capital to reach the semi-finals. But at this stage of the competition, football is unpredictable. The quarters of the "Final 8" in Lisbon of the Champions League reserved unlikely scenarios. Exit Spain, Italy and England. The last four will be played without them for the first time since 1991, when the Red Star of Belgrade was crowned in front of Marseille.

Navas' package

Against Leipzig, PSG will have to do without their goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who suffered a muscle injury last Wednesday against Atalanta Bergamo (2-1) in the quarter-finals. Navas' package is a blow to Paris, who relied on the experience of the triple winner of the Champions League with Real Madrid (2016, 2017, 2018), to clinch the first qualification in the final in its history.

Because the PSG has long groped to find the goalkeeper who would allow it to take a step forward in the continental queen competition. Sergio Rico, twice winner of the Europa League with Sevilla FC (2015, 2016), will be the replacement. During this season truncated by the coronavirus pandemic and the premature end of competitions, Sergio Rico played very little with nine matches, including two in C1.  

The Senegalese Idrissa Gueye, "  remained in care for a muscle alert felt yesterday  [Sunday August 16]  in training  ", is "  very uncertain  " for the duel against the ambitious German club, also indicates the Parisian club in a press release . Paris can be consoled with the return to training of Marco Verratti, Thiago Silva and Layvin Kurzawa, injured to varying degrees.

Neymar-Mbappé, the strong point of Paris

In great difficulty against Atalanta Bergamo in the quarterfinals, Paris Saint-Germain had relied on the pure talent of Neymar and Kylian Mbappé. Neymar-Mbappé remains the “  strong point of PSG  ” according to Thomas Tuchel, the coach. “  These are offensive players who always make the difference. There's a good mix between Neymar, a one-on-one player who can assists like no one else, and Kylian, who is quick, has the timing and the finish. It is an exceptional   "mix" . The two together are exceptional,  ”he says.

For the former player of the capital club Raí, Paris has all the assets to win the most prestigious of European competitions. “  Against Atalanta , Neymar had an exceptional match and Mbappé was decisive when he came into play. PSG are a great team, with very few shortcomings, which can above all count on two of the best players in the world. With such a duo, they can take the club to final victory. The team seems in good shape, they are confident. We also feel a certain cohesion and good humor in the group. I have the impression that PSG are in an ascending phase. In short, everything is in place to go to the end. Finally,  ”said the Brazilian in the columns of the daily L'Equipe .

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