With the help of the referee, Paris St.-Germain won a work victory against RB Leipzig on Tuesday evening, which can still turn out to be extremely valuable. The Paris team defeated Leipzig 1-0 with a flattering penalty kick (Neymar, 11th minute) – and thus took second place in the table in Group H. Leipzig is now level on points – but third. The arithmetic of the competition states that Leipzig does not have it in their own hands to reach the knockout round in the two remaining games. In the direct duel with PSG, Leipzig is behind, at the beginning of November they won 2-1 on the third matchday. In addition, Leipzig has the worse goal difference due to the 0: 5 at Manchester United.
In contrast to the first leg, PSG coach Thomas Tuchel was able to fall back on his tenors: The freshly bleached Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappé were in the starting line-up, although they had only just overcome injuries. They were supported by the Argentine Ángel Di María, who found a friend in the Dutch referee Danny Makkelie who shaped the game with a bad decision.
The hosts fall very quickly
After a bad pass by Dayot Upamecano, Di María stormed into the penalty area and fell there after a touch by Leipzig’s captain Marcel Sabitzer, which seemed more delicate than any early evening winter sun. If they even existed. Makkelie whistled, was not corrected by the video referee – and Neymar converted the penalty after a delayed attempt (11th). In the following minutes, Sabitzer created danger with a deflected shot from 16 meters and Upamecano with a header from Christopher Nkunku’s corner kick (12th). The remaining minutes passed largely without any danger to the French goal – although Leipzig dominated.
The Leipzigers offered neither Neymar nor Mbappé rooms, their speed did not come into play on Tuesday evening in the Prinzenparkstadion. But: None of the Leipzig midfielders found promising pass paths. PSG built more barricades in front of their own penalty area than the Republicans did during the July Revolution of 1830, which ended Bourbon rule. On the one hand, because it was the more energy-saving variant – PSG have played 20 games since mid-July – and on the other hand, because they hoped to counterattack from the lead and because they got the funnel-shaped offensive game of Leipzig under control so well. One of the special incidents was that Neymar blew the fuses after falling victim to Leipzig nicks a few times. Neymar kicked Marcel Sabitzer quite unmotivated – and deservedly saw the yellow card. Sabitzer then made an unpleasant acquaintance with the second PSG superstar: Kylian Mbappé accidentally stepped on his forearm while falling. The Austrian was able to continue playing.
This scene occurred at the beginning of the second half, which offered RB an excellent chance. After a cross that right-back Nurdi Mukiele hit from the corner flag, Forsberg started to volley. But: The Swede only hit the ball with his shin and was too imprecise to pull it onto goal. RB coach Julian Nagelsmann began to move the reservists. Justin Kluivert came for Dani Olmo, Willi Orban for Mukiele (both 62nd), Alexander Sörtloth for Forsberg (74th). But basically nothing changed in the difficulties of overcoming the PSG defense. That was also due to the fact that Leipzig was hardly able to give the passing game a high rhythm. In the 79th minute something like hope for an equalizer, which would not have been undeserved, germinated, but center forward Yussuf Poulsen put his shot well over the goal after a corner kick. In the final minutes of the game, PSG coach Tuchel replaced both the goalscorer Neymar and Mbappé. His team managed to secure a victory that smelled of work and not of perfume – but still exuded the sweet aroma of the round of 16.
.
