Tuchel backs Neymar as world's best as sorcerer sees off apprentice
So there was no fairytale finish for RB Leipzig, the new kids on the block, as sorcerer Thomas Tuchel saw off his apprentice Julian Nagelsmann by leading Paris St Germain to their first Champions League final.
The Emir of Qatar will jet in to Lisbon this weekend to see the club he owns take on the winners of tonight’s semi-final between Bayern Munich and Lyon, highlighting just how much PSG are a product of the modern game at the highest level, what coaches and players might call a ‘project’ while critics describe such state ownership as sportswashing.
The build-up to last night’s match was all about contrasts and comparisons, with neither club particularly admired in their respective countries because of their structure and funding, and both of them relatively new to Europe’s elite – and both managed by bright young German coaches.
Tuchel had never been to a European final before and at 46 is still in the ascendant, but Nagelsmann is a mere babe in arms by comparison. The 33-year-old was encouraged to take up coaching ten years ago by his manager Tuchel when they were at Augsberg, and his rise has been rapid ever since, leading Leipzig into uncharted territory at the top table of the Bundesliga and Champions League.
But he has never beaten Tuchel, and never came close to changing that in Lisbon last night as the German side were swept away inside an hour by the attacking verve of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel di Maria.
Neymar is a mass of contradictions. Brilliant on the ball but frustrating in front of goal, apparently unhappy in Paris but driving this expensively-assembled team towards the final that their Qatari owners have demanded since they began investing heavily a decade ago.
Neymar was the star once again, although Mbappe was unplayable at times and Di Maria showed his undoubted quality with one goal and two assists on his return from suspension. But just as in the quarter-final win over Atalanta, Neymar was destined not to score last night, not that Tuchel was too concerned: “What can I say to him about goalscoring? I only ever scored two goals in my career!
“With the qualities and confidence he has, he will become more clinical again. He trains well and has a strong mentality, a winning mentality. He has the chance to be the best player in the world and help us win the Champions League.”
Tuchel stressed that his side took to his tactical plan instantly, holding a good shape against Leipzig's fast counter-attacks, dominating in midfield and pressing Leipzig's defence into making mistakes, from which Paris profited handsomely.
“Leipzig usually attack high, are brave, but we showed them we can control the game, had most of the possession, controlled their counter-attacking, created many chances and could have scored more,” he said afterwards.
“We had some difficult spells later on but came through and I'm pleased with the way we went about it. I'm really proud of these players. The key was a mixture of our quality and the hunger that we showed, the way we defended and demanded our opponents play.
“We're not a team that just focus on 'Jogo Bonito' - we work hard. You need a great team performance, and you could see their passion and character.”
It has to be said that Leipzig were poor throughout and largely the architects of their own downfall. The team who took Tottenham apart so slickly over two legs in the round of 16 and then beat Atletico Madrid in the last eight last week never got going last night, hindered perhaps by a change of formation. Nagelsman, mindful of the pace and attacking threat posed by Paris St Germain's front three, tweaked his tactics accordingly, and it was only after a change in shape and personnel at half-time that they started to look like the team that had been so impressive earlier in the competition.
“We had to decide before the game how to play, whether counter-attacking or whatever,” said Nagelsmann. “We made two or three big mistakes and after the second goal it was not easy.”
Indeed, it was effectively over by half-time, with PSG leading 2-0. Marquinhos, their Brazilian defender, headed PSG ahead in the 13th minute from Di Maria's cross, and the former Manchester United winger doubled their lead shortly before half time after a howler from Peter Gulacsi, the Leipzig keeper. When Juan Bernat headed home after another defensive mix-up in the 56th minute, there was no doubt which manager would be celebrating his first Champions League final.
Paris St Germain were better, sharper and more clinical from the start. Mbappe slid in Neymar in the opening minutes and the Brazilian clipped his shot past Gulacsi but against the far post, not the last time he would hit the woodwork. The pair combined soon afterwards Mbappe put the loose ball in the net after Neymar charged down Gulacsi's clearance, but Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers spotted the Brazilian's hand on the ball.
Leipzig's reprieve did not last long. Neymar was fouled on the left and won the first of many free-kicks. Di Maria curled the ball in delightfully, and Marquinhos arrived unmarked to put a glancing header in the far corner of goal from five yards.
The Argentinian then sent Mbappe clear, but Gulacsi did well for once to block the young French forward's shot. Neymar almost embarrassed the keeper with a free-kick from wide on the right, spotting him off his line and sending in a long-range shot that bounced off a post.
PsG were in complete control, Leipzig in disarray.
It was no surprise when they increased their lead three minutes before half time. Gulacsi mis-hit a pass to one of his midfielders, the ball was driven back in towards Neymar, who took the sting out of it with a delightful backheel into the path of Di Maria, who took one touch before calmly steering the ball home.
“We were in the game for the first 12 mins or so, but a bit hectic in the final third,” said Nagelsmann.
“But then we conceded a free-kick and a goal, and took too long to recover. After the second goal I saw the belief go from the players, which was understandable.” While Paris St Germain were aleady dreaming of the final by the break, Leipzig were looking beaten.
Marcel Sabitzer, who had run rings around Tottenham's defenders in north London earlier this year, was one of the few Leipzig players to show his ability, stretching Sergio Rico in the Paris goal with a couple of long-range efforts.
But Leipzig had little attacking threat until Nagelsmann sent on Patrick Schick at half-time and the tall striker posed a different sort of threat. For the first ten minutes of the second half it looked like Leeipzig might get back into the game, as they started to press Paris back into their defensive third.
But another mistake allowed PSG to make it 3-0.
Nordi Mukiele, who had been busy trying to keep Neymar at bay, went to make a clearance on the right but fell, claiming Ander Herrera had fouled him. Ref Kuipers waved play on, and with the defender still prone, Di Maria whipped in a cross that Bernat, who was played onside by Mukiele, headed home from close range.
That was game over effectively. A rash of substitutions, a handful of chances at both ends, and no further goals.
While Nagelsmann and his players were left to reflect on what might have been, it was Tuchel and his men celebrating wildly at the final whistle, celebrating their first Champions League final which will be against Lyon or Bayern Munich in Lisbon on Sunday.
Asked how he would prepare, Tuchel said: “I don't know – I have not prepared for a Champions League final before! We will prepare as we have in previous rounds - evaluate our opponents, focus on the next match.
“The most important thing to rest and recover well, and enjoy tonight. We must find a mix between having a smile on our faces and focussing on the task ahead.
Sergio Rico 6: Kehrer 6, Thiago Silva 7, Kimpembe 6, Bernat 7; Ander Herrera 7 (Veratti 83), Marquinhos 7, Paredes 6 (Draxzler 83); Di Maria 8 (Sarabia 87), Mbappe 7 (Choupo-Moting 86), Neymar 8
Gulacsi 4; Mukiele 5, Upamecano 6, Klostermann 6 (Orban 83), Angelino 6: Laimer 5 (Halstenberg 62), Kampl 5 (Adams 64), Sabitzer 7, Olmo 5 (Schick 46), Nkunku 5 (Forsberg46), Poulsen 5
B Kuipers (The Netherlands)
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