PSG, however imperial in the first period, sank after returning from the locker room to lose against Manchester City (2-1), Wednesday evening in the semi-finals of the Champions League, at the Parc des Princes.
The consultants of Europe 1 analyzed the reasons for this match with two faces, which condemns the Parisians to the exploit in a week's return.
DECRYPTION
From dream to nightmare.
PSG, initially excellent for 45 minutes, ended up cracking up to lose against Manchester City (2-1), in his garden at the Parc des Princes, Wednesday night in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
With this defeat, the path to a second final in a row is seriously complicated for the Parisians, now condemned to the feat in a week's return, at the Etihad Stadium.
But how could PSG show two such different faces?
Our consultants analyzed the reasons for this sudden turnaround in the debrief of the meeting on Europe 1.
Two "really stupid" goals
In seven minutes, Manchester City took an option on a qualification for their first Champions League final. The Citizens, however, did not have a plethora of opportunities but were able to take advantage of two moments of inattention from the Parisian defense. In the 64th, De Bruyne first equalized with a fleeting center-shot, touched by no player and on which Navas could only be helpless. The second goal, on the other hand, is clearly attributable to the Parisian players. On a free kick at 20 meters, full axis, Kimpembe and Paredes moved away and dissociated themselves from the wall, allowing Mahrez to shoot between them to deceive Navas and offer victory to his people. "Today we take two really stupid goals," lamented Marquinhos, questioned after the meeting on
RMC Sport
.
A big drop in physical level
Everything had started well for PSG, impressive in the first period and which logically led to the break thanks to a goal from Marquinhos (15th).
But the Parisians experienced a sudden drop in speed after returning from the locker room, plunging in particular on the physical level.
"PSG did the first period in overdrive and had nothing left in the socks in the second," said Guy Roux.
"You can compare that to a 1,500 meters: when an athlete does the first half of a race beyond his means, he then collapses. This is what happened to PSG. After a dream first period, they showed all their shortcomings in second. "
Manchester City's renewed aggressiveness
If Paris showed two very different faces, the analysis is just as valid for Manchester City. Completely missed the first act, unable to procure the slightest opportunity and overwhelmed in all compartments, the Citizens came back transformed after returning from the locker room. "City changed their way of playing and were very aggressive on the ball carrier to prevent the Parisians from leaving," said Laurent Fournier, the former defensive midfielder and PSG coach. "City's first 45 minutes were appalling in large part because of the pressing from PSG. But then they did what we are used to seeing in the Premier League, with a lot more aggression. City didn't. been perfect but there is a mastery and control that there was not in previous years ", judged the journalist of
France Football
Philippe Auclair, great specialist in English football.
A lack of composure
PSG, jostled in turn, never knew how to respond to the physical challenge imposed by the English in the second half.
Worse, the Parisians have displayed their frustration by multiplying the faults.
Gueye, the defensive midfielder so precious against Bayern Munich, was thus logically excluded for a violent tackle on Gündogan in the 77th minute, leaving his teammates at ten for the last quarter of an hour.
A few minutes earlier, Neymar had received a card for a gross foul on Ruben Dias (74th).
Stars not up to standard
Finally, the gesture of frustration of the Brazilian symbolizes the failed evening of the Parisian stars. "Neymar is completely out of the match, Verratti has drawn and Mbappé has not ramped up," summarized Jimmy Algerino, the former PSG side. Far from his stratospheric level of the quarter-final return against Bayern, Neymar has gradually disappeared, showing his nervousness. Mbappé never really entered his match, not creating the slightest opportunity. Statistical eloquent, the world champion has not even attempted a single shot, a first in his career in the Champions League. To create the feat in Manchester, PSG will necessarily need a great Neymar and a great Mbappé. That's good: this season, they have often been giants.