Paris Saint-Germain will have to deliver a tour de force to be in the Champions League final for the second season in a row. The team of trainer Mauricio Pochettino lost 1-2 to Manchester City on Wednesday evening, while the Parisians played excellent in the first half and earned more than a 1-0 lead in the break. In Paris, however, they have not given up hope for a place in the final battle.
“Those who no longer believe in the final should stay at home. We need a fighting spirit now, ”said defender and captain Marquinhos, the maker of the 1-0, after reuniting with Manchester City next Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium. “We are still close to the final and are going to Manchester with determination. In the second half we couldn’t get it out. City was more aggressive. We still have ninety minutes and we will have to be better at that to continue. ”
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Pochettino sees no reason not to believe in a final in Istanbul against Real Madrid or Chelsea anymore. “Manchester City has the advantage, but we must indeed continue to believe in it,” said the Parisian coach. “It is disappointing that we have had to concede two goals. That is difficult to accept, but it is also part of it. It is only very painful that it happened in a semi-final. ”
“The decline in the second half is difficult to explain. We couldn’t compete with their physical condition. We didn’t bring the energy you need in this kind of duels. We were the best team before half time, but in the end they created more opportunities and deservedly won. ” Josep Guardiola refused to count himself rich for the first Champions League final in Manchester City’s history. “We’ve done the hardest part of the job, but we shouldn’t start again too cautiously, because they have the qualities to turn the score around.”
“But if we play like in the second half, we have a chance of the final.” In the first half, Manchester City was a shadow of the team it usually is. “We were too shy,” the Spaniard acknowledged. “We just couldn’t let go. Everyone played safe and didn’t have the guts to keep playing. Everyone must learn from this. This is only the second time in club history that we have played in the semi-finals, so many players play on this stage for the first time. It’s not like the other teams. This is a process. ” According to Neymar, there is certainly still hope for a final place after the home defeat. “I believe in my team, I believe we can be better than we were,” the attacker wrote on Twitter.