Shortly before midnight, when Jesse Marsch crept alone and lost in thought across the empty square in Paris' Prinzenpark, he must have felt like he was in the wrong film.
His professionals from RB Leipzig are finally playing the football that the new coach imagines - and in the end you lose 2: 3 at Paris Saint-Germain and can already throw the first goal of the season overboard.
The end of the Champions League is sealed after zero points from three games - and even the third group place for the Europa League currently seems unattainable.
“It's relatively easy,” said Marsch. “Making the group stage is almost impossible, the Europa League has to be the goal. But we have to fight for that too. ”Because in order to intercept Club Bruges, you have to get at least one point in the home games against Paris and Manchester City and win against the Belgian champions by two goals in between. "Without points we can't stand up now and talk about progress," emphasized defense boss Willi Orban.
This bitter realization fits a little with the messed up season so far.
The star ensemble of PSG needed an unpunished foul in front of Kylian Mbappés 1-0 and finally an almost laughable penalty after a stage-ready demise of the world champion, which Lionel Messi converted to victory.
And yet, as Orban pointed out, it felt “just brutally bitter”.
Especially since RB, in addition to the game, probably also lost Lukas Klostermann for a long time, the national player apparently suffered a torn muscle fiber.
"That was a great opponent"
But what Marsch can take away is that his kind of football can work with Leipzig. He just needs the right mix of players. The 47-year-old finally found it in Paris. In midfield, Marsch relied on the not exactly filigree but tireless running miracles Konrad Laimer, Tyler Adams and Amadou Haidara. Before that, Christopher Nkunku showed once again why a big club will buy him away next summer. “He was the best man on the pitch,” emphasized Marsch. "And there were also players like Mbappé and Messi."
Leipzig was not only incredibly intense in the ball hunt, but also played straight forward after winning. The Saxons had several good chances, Paris only gave one shot on goal until the interim RB leadership. "That was a great opponent, so I'm happy with the win," said Mbappé himself appreciatively.
Leipzig finally stumbled upon referee Marco Guida and its own naivety. “We led, had everything under control. Then we made a very, very serious mistake. I don't know why we're making it so easy for the opponent at the moment. It's hard to accept, ”said Marsch. Of all people, his favorite student, Adams, played the ball directly into Mbappé's foot in an insane defensive action before equalizing. “To have a chance here, we have to deliver a perfect performance. We almost made it. "
It should be tight for some established forces in the coming weeks.
Emil Forsberg, Yussuf Poulsen and Kevin Kampl sat on the bench in Paris - and were not really missed in the game.
It is now up to the trio to follow Marsch's game idea just as unconditionally as the starting eleven from the Prinzenpark.
Otherwise the extremely friendly coach will probably make some tough decisions.