The Paris Saint-Germain fans did all they could to lift their team against Real Madrid but the French side depart the competition with barely a whimper and questions over the ‘project’“All that, for that?” read L’Équipe’s damning headline on Wednesday morning. On a night when the team’s fans had done their best to create a raucous, fiery atmosphere, evincing their belief in a comeback for their side, Paris Saint-Germain unequivocally let their supporters down. Overturning Real Madrid’s 3-1 lead from the previous leg was always going to be a tall order, and the loss of Neymar to injury was also a not inconsiderable obstacle, even if his replacement, Ángel Di María had been in form of late. However, it was...
For the manager, no excuse will be tolerated – losing Neymar was unfortunate, but losing this tie will be seen as carelessAs he previewed his team’s Champions League showdown with Real Madrid on Tuesday, Unai Emery posed a question and tried not to sound like a man clutching at straws: “Why does Uefa let group winners play the second legs at home?” the Paris Saint‑Germain manager asked before providing the obvious answer. “Maybe because it is an advantage to play the second leg at home. Related: PSG can beat Real Madrid without Neymar – by playing as a team Continue reading...
The manager must decide whether an out-of-sorts Mbappé or in-form Ángel Di María is better equipped for Real Madrid testParis Saint-Germain are nearing le money time, to use the Anglicism that has gained currency among French commentators without ever being circulated widely in English. It refers to the decisive stage in contests, the moments where top performers step up and prove they are worth the big bucks. Wednesday’s Champions League tie between PSG and Real Madrid fits that bill even if it is only a last-16 eliminator. Related: Champions League last 16: tie-by-tie analysis | Marcus Christenson Related: The PSG-Neymar show rolls on – but is it more celebrity than sport? | Barney Ronay Continue reading...
From Juventus and Spurs’ intriguing battle to Chelsea’s forbidding meeting with Barcelona and a likely stroll for Bayern, we look over all eight last-16 matchupsTuesday, St Jakob-Park and Wednesday 7 March, Etihad Related: New era edges closer as Tottenham seek to draw a line under austerity years | David Hytner Related: Antonio Conte will not resign as pressure builds on Chelsea manager Continue reading...
Pep Guardiola’s free-flowing team are starting to run away with the Premier League and are doing it in a way that cannot help but soak up new admirersThe devil always gets the best tunes. Watching Paris Saint-Germain overwhelm Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday the most striking thing about PSG was not the sense of powerful gears still in reserve, or even the basic beauty of their attacking play, the way the ball skittered about between Neymar and promising loanee-trialist Kylian Mbappé like a bead of water in a pan of hot fat. The most remarkable thing was how difficult it was, suddenly, to properly dislike them.Difficult but not impossible. It is important to emphasise this. PSG’s on-field brilliance...