“After six weeks in Paris, we will go to Faro to stay together in a hotel, minimize the risk of coronavirus, get in the mood and create an atmosphere”, confirmed Thomas Tuchel on July 21. But what exactly is the desired atmosphere? That of a tournament equivalent to a Euro or a World Cup. No one at PSG imagines joining Paris from August 13, the day after the quarter-final. Everyone sees themselves staying at least until the 18th, date of the semi-final, or even until the 23rd, the day of possible European glory. “PSG – Metz? It is only the League which provided for it on August 23 … “slips an employee of the club, proof of a certain ambition.
“With the internship in Faro, we could stay up to two weeks in Portugal. It’s half of a World Cup, recalls a close friend of the group. The staff and the management want the whole group to find themselves living together and not thinking of anything else. »The place chosen is heavenly. In a setting worthy of Beverly Hills, with huge villas and joggers all day long, Parisians have isolated themselves in a semi-private hotel, among themselves and in peace.
Cohesion, the key to success
For the atmosphere, count on Presnel Kimpembe, official DJ of PSG, as during … the 2018 World Cup. One of the direct witnesses of the success of the Blues confirms to us all the good that an internship, even short, can bring. “The goal is to create a favorable environment, to do everything to obtain this group cohesion,” explains Guy Stéphan, assistant to Didier Deschamps. It is a key factor for future success. All the players must come together and join the common project. “
This mission should be easy for Tuchel and his staff. The Parisian group, which has made a pact around this Champions League objective, continues to publicly demonstrate its solidarity. But, for Guy Stéphan, the players in the game are not the only ones concerned. “Each in his function must adhere to the project of the leader, the coach, he believes. Even the steward has his role to play. The force on the ground will only emerge if, before, there has been a favorable environment. We would never have been world champions without this great cohesion. “
The other positive point of such an internship, even of only three days, is not to think only of football. “It’s also an opportunity to have collective and individual interviews,” explains Guy Stéphan. In an internship, we have time. Before an important game, there is only one practice per day. The rest of the time, it is possible to care to spend time with the players. It’s good to have left for Faro. You don’t have to stay in one place. The player must keep his bearings while needing to see something else. “
So much for the recipes of a world champion. May PSG take advantage of these hours in an ideal environment to clear the mind and gradually enter its competition. There will be three finals to play. The first begins Wednesday evening against Atalanta Bergamo.
