This Friday, on the eve of PSG-Dijon, 8th day of the French Championship, Thomas Tuchel was at a press conference in distance. For the Parisian coach, his team must show a reaction after the fiasco in the Champions League on Tuesday in front of Manchester United (1-2). The German appeared annoyed, turned against the media, mixing answers in French and English.
Who are the players unavailable against Dijon?
THOMAS TUCHEL. Absent are Marco Verratti, Leandro Paredes, Thilo Kehrer, Mauro Icardi and Gana Gueye. Layvin Kurzawa and Angel Di Maria are suspended. There are doubts for Navas and Florenzi. The two are not going to practice. They are not injured but they feel uncomfortable. Jesé is also uncertain. We hope Marquinhos and Draxler will be OK.
Did you speak with the players after the Manchester United setback?
Yes. We lacked energy in the first half. There was more in the second, with more intensity. We lacked discipline in the structure. It was a more open game. We could have won at the end or kept the draw but we lost. We are very critical of ourselves. Now we are preparing for a Ligue 1 match.
What was said after MU?
We are together at the training center. It’s never easy to digest defeat. No one wants to accept this defeat. It is not possible to find people more affected than us. We are the most critical, the most disappointed. We’re talking about Manchester United but the reality is that I have to prepare for training for Dijon. But you’re late in telling me only about Manchester. It’s like that in Paris, it’s always the same circumstances. Manchester, Manchester, Manchester, Manchester, Manchester… If we had won, do you think we would celebrate victory for three days?
Do you hope these discussions give the team a different face?
We always have discussions after each game. We analyze mentally, tactically. It’s a normal process. Losing, on the other hand, is not normal. We hate to lose. I don’t want this to become a habit. Losing is serious. We have always shown a reaction. We will still have a transformed team on Saturday. We have to stay positive and push against Dijon. There are expectations, but things are not easy. I know we’re going to show a reaction because we’ve always done it. We had won five games in a row and there was that loss. It was not our real face.
Did you feel a united club behind you after this loss?
It’s normal. This is my experience since my arrival, since the first loss against Manchester United in 2019. It is my responsibility. I can live with this. I don’t googling my name, I don’t go on the internet to see what’s being said about me, I know how difficult it is. I don’t expect anything else. I know that I can rely on myself, my staff and my relationship with the team. I can imagine what is being said outside.
Does this failure make you want to change your management?
We work hard, hard, honestly. It is not necessary to change. In addition, we adapt every day. We don’t just have one style. We change our style every year, every week. We do what is necessary. If we have to protect the players, we protect them. We adapt after each match.
You have one year of contract left: do you work calmly or in uncertainty?
Yes, the situation is clear: I have a contract. It doesn’t change anything for my job. There are uncertainties in the world with this virus. You cannot plan anything, but it is not possible not to communicate. If we don’t talk about an extension, we don’t talk, that’s not a problem for me. I do my job to the best of my ability.
Offensively, is it difficult to make Neymar and Mbappé understand that they have to make defensive efforts?
We did it. I assure you. We work on the defensive and offensive aspect. You have to accept that guys are human. They are not robots. It’s like that. We were having a bad day and I take responsibility for it. We must accept that there are reasons that explain the result but, in the end, it is my responsibility. We have to win, push and we didn’t feel that in the first half against Manchester United.
Will you continue to evolve without a real number 9?
If we don’t have a number 9, we play without a number 9. That’s a ridiculous question! Check and see who is available.
Do you want to run with young people against Dijon?
It’s difficult to answer. We cannot give a tenure like that: it is not a gift to play for PSG. A player must deserve it but, at the same time, for this match, Kylian (Mbappé) and Kimpembe, we must leave them on the bench. They have played too much in the national team, there have been too many trips, there are risks. We will see who is available for Dijon. Training will be important. Dijon is very strong in the offensive transitions, he is strong in quick attacks. Now is not the time to take risks. We talk to physiotherapists, doctors and players. Kylian and Kim, that’s a big question for this Saturday.
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr
