Ex-Bundesliga professional Choupo-Moting – the hero from the rest ramp
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That’s what Choupo-Moting says after his winning goal
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting shoots Paris St. Germain with his goal to win against Atalanta Bergamo in stoppage time in the semi-finals. After the game he is clearly proud.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has already been sorted out in Paris. A lucky coincidence has now secured him an entry in the history books. The striker, who will be out of work in two weeks, will shoot his club into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Es is one of the empty phrases in the industry that the football business is very fast. A native of Hamburg provided new evidence for this assumption on Wednesday evening: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. The attacker from Paris St. Germain needed just 14 minutes in the quarter-finals of the Champions League to go from being discontinued to being a celebrated hero.
Choupo-Moting, 31 years old, was no longer nominated for his club’s European Cup squad in February; his contract actually expired on June 30th.
But since the football premier class did not determine their champion until August, the contract was quickly extended for two months and the striker was subsequently reported for the final tournament in Lisbon.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (front) even outshines Neymar
What: AP
A more than worthwhile business for the team of the German coach Thomas Tuchel. For the first time since 1995, Paris reached the semi-finals thanks to Choupo-Moting’s goal in the third minute of stoppage time against Atalanta Bergamo. The striker last scored in the Champions League on October 21, 2014 – at that time for FC Schalke 04. It was a historic act for the former Bundesliga professional in several ways.
“He was extraordinary”
The adulation on the day after the last-minute success was correspondingly high. “Choupo will end his contract in a few days, he makes every training session as if it were the last of his life,” said teammate Ander Herrera. “It symbolizes this atmosphere in the team.” And coach Tuchel said: “The time had come for Choupo-Moting to play a great game. He was extraordinary. “
Coach Thomas Tuchel (left) thanks the winning goal scorer
Source: AFP
When the coach decided to replace his striker, Paris were down 1-0 against Bergamo with a goal from Mario Pasalic. In the 79th minute Choupo-Moting was allowed to go on the field, eleven minutes later he experienced the late equalization by Marquinhos (90th). And when everyone was already expecting the game to be extended in Lisbon, the previously discarded one struck coldly. He pushed a fine cross pass from Kylian Mbappé over the line without humor.
“It’s hard to describe how I feel, it’s a very special story. When I walked in, I told myself we couldn’t go back to Paris with a team like that. I told myself that anything is possible in life, that every game has its story. I’m very happy that it worked like that, ”said Choupo-Moting.
In-house advertising
With his late feat, the striker not only secured an entry in the club’s history books. He also advertised himself on the big stage. A player who shoots his team into the semi-finals of the Champions League and is unemployed at the end of August should hardly be able to save himself from job offers.
In addition, Choupo-Moting gave his coach some rest. For the first time since the Qatari investor group started in 2011, the club owners were able to look forward to participating in the semi-finals in the premier class. Even prominent predecessors like Laurent Blanc, Carlo Ancelotti or Unai Emery couldn’t do that in the coaching bench.
If it comes to Neymar, the superstar of the team, the soaring should continue. Paris, which will meet the winner of the game between RB Leipzig and Atlético Madrid in the semifinals, feels ready for the big hit. “I’m really looking forward to the final. Another step is waiting for us, ”said Neymar. “With this attitude it is impossible to throw us out.”
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