Neymar keeps PSG on course
A NERVY Paris Saint-Germain were outplayed for long spells but held on after an early Neymar penalty to beat RB Leipzig 1-0 yesterday and revive their Champions League campaign.
Last season’s runners-up had lost two of their opening three matches in Group H and would have been staring at an early exit from the competition had they lost again to the Germans behind closed doors at the Parc des Princes.
Yet Neymar’s 11th-minute spot-kick proved enough for a PSG side struggling with injuries and suspensions, as Leipzig failed to convert any of the chances that came their way.
“We are a team who, in the difficult moments, manage to stick together and do a good job. Once again we proved that,” captain Marquinhos told RMC Sport.
“There are lots of things that happen that people maybe don’t know about,“insisted Marquinhos, with PSG having struggled with injuries, suspensions and coronavirus infections all season.
“I don’t think we had the means to put in an exceptional performance, but the most important thing was the victory.”
PSG coach Thomas Tuchel defended his injury-ravaged team despite their poor showing yesterday.
“Before last weekend’s Ligue 1 game against Monaco, we’d had an average of seven players per game missing through injury,” Tuchel told a news conference.
“In Leipzig we lacked a bit of luck and today we were a bit fortunate,” Tuchel said.
“We played with a lot of heart, we stuck together and we won. I’m not going to ask forgiveness for that.”
The decisive spot-kick was awarded when Marcel Sabitzer was rather harshly adjudged to have fouled Angel Di Maria.
Neymar rolled the ball home from 12 yards for his first Champions League goal of the season on what was his first start in almost a month after injury.
“Paris didn’t have a single chance in the whole match, and the penalty was a joke,” Nagelsmann fumed to Sky Germany.
“To see that at this level is really sad. Di Maria dived. There was no contact.” – AFP/Reuters