display

They started off strong and took a well-deserved break into the break.

But then, surprisingly, Paris Saint-Germain slackened significantly.

The team around superstar Neymar came back on the pitch in the second half of the semi-final first leg in the Champions League.

The French champions never fired a single shot on goal against Manchester City.

Instead, PSG subsequently conceded two goals.

Then the players let out their frustration.

The Bayern winner is facing the end and threatens to miss the big goal again.

The team from Manchester, trained by star coach Pep Guardiola, prevailed 2-1 (0-1) in Prinzenpark and can hope for the first final in the European football championship.

After Marquinhos fell behind in the 15th minute, Kevin De Bruyne (64th) and Riyad Mahrez (71st) managed to turn things around within eight minutes.

Off through the wall: Riyad Mahrez converted a free kick straight to 2-1

Credit: AFP / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT

display

“It was a game with two different halves.

I said during the break that we had to play slower, better hold the ball.

Then it was good too, ”said De Bruyne.

“We already played well at the end of the first half, but the second half was outstanding,” said Guardiola, who warned against anticipating the final too early: “For many of the boys it will be the first semi-final in the Champions League.

It will be tough in the second leg. "

Guardiola had already imagined the early start phase like this.

His team returned to possession football.

It was 60 percent in the first 20 minutes.

The low effectiveness, however, was not at all in the sense of the perfectionist, who last won the Champions League with FC Barcelona in 2011.

display

Manchester City's longing for May 29th in Istanbul did not get any closer - on the contrary.

One of PSG's five attempts in the first 20 minutes - versus one from Manchester - landed in goal.

After a corner from Angel di Maria, the defender and captain Marquinhos sank the ball in the far corner with a run-up and with a head.

City keeper Ederson was powerless.

The defense - including Gündogan, who was the first to have blocked Marquinhos - simply did not cover the PSG professional well enough.

Marquinhos had already scored against FC Bayern in the quarter-finals.

After his 3-2 goal in the first leg in Munich, the 26-year-old Brazilian was absent due to adductor problems and only returned to the starting line-up in the game against Dortmund-defeated Manchester City.

De Bruyne's lucky shot and Neymar's frustration

Shortly before falling behind, the Premier League leader had been able to thwart a class action by Neymar, who was initially in good spirits, with great difficulty and thanks to a great Ederson parade against the second in the table in Ligue 1.

And so it went on, PSG shone with speed, creativity and finesse.

Manchester City, on the other hand, looked almost staid.

The guests became really dangerous for the first time in the 42nd minute, but Keylor Navas saved Phil Foden's shot in the PSG goal.

display

Guardiola's face didn't really brighten after the break, even if his team now seemed to have a little more control over the game.

The passports, however, often lacked precision, and it was difficult for them to exert constant pressure.

And so the equalization fell rather unusually after a corner.

What was supposed to be a cross became De Bruyne's shot on goal, Navas did not cut a good figure.

The guests were now safe, but PSG was hardly recognizable.

And only a little later Navas had to reach behind him again when Mahrez's free kick landed in the goal from 25 meters.

In the closing stages, PSG had to play outnumbered after referee Felix Brych Idrissa Gueye (77th) showed the red card for a foul on city professional Ilkay Gündogan.

The Parisian kicked the German on the lower leg with a stretched leg.

The PSG players had already attracted attention through some unsporting actions.

Neymar, who only dribbled three times in the entire game and hardly looked for duels, also saw yellow after a kick out of frustration.

Weak values, bad body language: Neymar disappointed especially in the second half

Source: REUTERS

The German international, who was on the ground for a long time and was in severe pain, was able to continue playing after a period of treatment.

The decision to move into the final, where Chelsea FC or Real Madrid are waiting, will now be made in Manchester next Tuesday.