Could there be a better scenario? A Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Real Madrid, on June 1, in London, for Kylian Mbappé's last season under the red and blue colors; he who is expected to join the ranks of the White House next season. The outcome of the first leg of the semi-finals of the prestigious European football competition, on April 30 and May 1, cast doubt on this ideal casting. Starting with the presence of PSG at Wembley Stadium in just over three weeks.
Beaten (0-1) at Signal Iduna Park, the capital club is on unfavorable waivers when it receives Borussia Dortmund (BVB), Tuesday May 7 at 9 p.m., for the second act of their double confrontation. “We have nothing left to lose,” admitted Luis Enrique, the Parisian coach, after the first leg. However, there is no question of giving in to defeatism. “The group is extremely calm,” explained Kylian Mbappé on Sunday, on the sidelines of an event of his association, Inspired By KM, on the Champs-Elysées.
For what will a priori be his final Champions League match at home, at the Parc des Princes, with PSG, the striker says he is “ready to defend the colors of [his] team”. His captain, Marquinhos, also wanted to be reassuring at a press conference: “After the match [in Dortmund], we said to ourselves that we could do better. The coach framed this and showed us the strategy. » A confidence, develops the Brazilian, which comes from the “work” carried out throughout the season.
The gap between the two teams is small: only one goal. “We have a small lead, nothing more, nothing less,” conceded BVB coach Edin Terzic after his team’s victory. In the previous round, Paris overthrew FC Barcelona on home soil (4-1), after losing at home in the first leg (2-3). This time, PSG has home field advantage in the return: a first since the start of the knockout stages of this edition. “What gives us hope? The Park, our supporters,” insisted Luis Enrique.
On May 1, Signal Iduna Park and its famous “yellow wall” – the largest standing stand in Europe, where Borussia’s most fervent fans gather – had played their role of twelfth man to perfection. But the more than 3,000 Parisians traveling across the Rhine were no strangers to this “exceptional atmosphere”, praised by the Asturian at the final whistle. They sang, shouted, applauded continuously well beyond the ninety minutes of the meeting. On Tuesday, there will be nearly 45,000 inside the Porte de Saint-Cloud, despite seats being sold at high prices on ticket resale platforms (from around 430 euros to several thousand euros). 'euros).
The Ultras Paris Collective announced the general mobilization on its in the bays of the Parc des Princes. “We must make our fans proud and go for this final,” insisted Luis Enrique.
Dortmund dreams of revenge
The matter will not be simple, as Lucas Hernandez's withdrawal forces the capital club to review its defensive plans. Victim of a ruptured cruciate ligament in his left knee in the first leg, the French international formed a solid, complementary and, above all, experienced central hinge with Marquinhos.
To replace him, will Luis Enrique trust Beraldo, 20, who showed limitations against Barcelona? To Danilo, who sometimes lacks speed and mobility? Or Milan Skriniar, who has played just one full game since returning after a three-month absence and ankle surgery? This choice is all the more important as, given the result of the first leg, PSG will absolutely have to score and will undoubtedly be more exposed to counter-attacks.
“The objective is not to win with a two-goal margin, but to win (…). You can score two goals in three minutes, but also suffer, you have to play 100% concentrated in attack or defense, argued the PSG coach. If we concede a goal, it doesn't matter - we qualified against Barcelona - and if we score a goal, it changes the attitude of our opponents. »
“We are going to go [to Paris] to win, even if we know that a draw could be enough for us,” Edin Terzic promised. On Saturday, the German coach gave his troops a little respite, rotating his squad and leaving Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt, Karim Adeyemi, and even Niclas Füllkrug – the scorer of the first round – on the bench at the start. sending off the Bundesliga match against Augsburg (5-1 victory). Striker Sébastien Haller, who did not set foot on the pitch at Signal Iduna on May 1 due to a painful ankle, is also part of the squad for the trip to Paris.
Dortmund, winner of the 1997 edition, also dreams of reaching the Champions League final for the first time since 2013. That year, already at Wembley, BVB ended up losing in a 100% German duel against Bayern Munich (1-2).
On Tuesday evening, will Borussia get a chance to take revenge in London or will Paris be a party? Out of optimism, the Rouge et Bleu coach leans towards the second option. In any case, he promised it to a young supporter he met this weekend after training at the PSG Campus in Poissy (Yvelines). “Please, in the second leg try to do everything to win. » A nod then, these few words from Luis Enrique, in the language of Molière: “We are going to win. » That’s it, now all that’s left to do is.
