Champions League: PSG, against RB Leipzig, on the way to the eighth?
PSG striker Lionel Messi embraces Senegalese Idrissa Gana Gueye after his goal against Manchester City in the Champions League.
REUTERS - GONZALO FUENTES
Text by: Farid Achache Follow
2 min
Paris Saint-Germain host RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday, October 19 at the Parc des Princes.
With a victory, Mauricio Pochettino's men could move closer to qualifying for the round of 16.
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Even if Paris Saint-Germain launched its campaign with a draw one everywhere in Bruges, the capital club, leader of its group, can get closer to qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League by beating RB Leipzig.
During Leipzig's last visit to the Parc des Princes on November 24, 2020, behind closed doors, PSG Thomas Tuchel had narrowly won thanks to a penalty from Neymar (1-0).
RB Leipzig in trouble this season
Neck-to-neck with Manchester City (3 pts) and the surprise Bruges (4 pts) after two days in Group A, PSG (4 pts) has the opportunity to remove Leipzig (0 pt) from the race .
The 2020 semi-finalist Red Bull-owned club have shown in recent years that they are more than an underdog, with their tantalizing attacking style shaped by the talent of their young players.
But this season, the team of Christopher Nkunku, Nordi Mukiele, Dani Olmo and Dominik Szoboszlai are not doing as well, after executives Dayot Upamecano and Marcel Sabitzer as well as coach Julian Nagelsmann all left for Bayern Munich this summer. .
The red bull club, vice-champion of Germany, is currently 8th in the Bundesliga.
He lost in the first two C1 matches against Manchester City (6-3) and Bruges (2-1).
The defense of RB Leipzig, very porous, could once again undermine the German club and the coach of RB should give up the eighth in case of defeat.
"
It's too easy to score a goal against us
"
“
We make too many mistakes in our last thirty meters, we don't block the gaps. It's too easy to score a goal against us,
”coach Jesse Marsch said at a press conference. “
Maybe a line with seven defenders would be a possibility,
” smiled the American coach. With eight goals conceded, Leipzig has the worst defense in the group stage this season.
“
We watched how Bruges
(1-1 against PSG)
defended against Messi, Neymar and Mbappé.
It was truly a group effort.
When one of the three receives a ball between the lines, you have to be ready for the one-on-one and also to come and help to defend for two.
It's a big mission and we can't wait,
”said Jesse Marsch.
Mauricio Pochettino should field an ultra-competitive team without the Brazilian striker Neymar and goalkeeper Keylor Navas, injured, and without Angel Di Maria, suspended, who will make his comeback in the group against Leipzig (return leg) on November 3.
For family reasons, Argentinian Mauro Icardi has not trained in recent days and should be on the bench at kick-off.
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