PSG won’t get too excited yet

Paris – After three consecutive last-16 eliminations in the Champions League, Paris St Germain were taking their impressive 3-0 victory over Real Madrid on Wednesday with a large pinch of salt.

In their first Champions League game since Manchester United’s shock 3-1 win in Paris knocked them out last season, PSG were brilliant against the Spanish side, but they know only too well that they still have plenty to prove.

“Before anyone asks a question... If someone asks me if we’re going to win the Champions League, I’m out of here,” Tuchel told a news conference after PSG had crushed 13-times European champions Real in their Group A opener at the Parc des Princes.

The United debacle followed a 5-2 aggregate defeat by Real Madrid in 2018 and a memorable loss to Barcelona in 2017 with a 6-1 defeat at the Camp Nou following a 4-0 home win.

“We did not want to send a message but it is true that we controlled this game, we were wellprepared,” PSG centreback Thiago Silva said.

Having spent over €1 billion on players since Qatar Sports Investment took over in 2011, PSG have been expected to win the Champions League but they have fallen spectacularly short in recent seasons.

They are now focused on the first task of getting through to the knockout phase from a group featuring Real, Club Brugge and Galatasaray.

Tuchel’s side were outstanding with Angel di Maria (above) scoring a double in the absence of the formidable trio of Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani – both injured – and the suspended Neymar.

“Maybe the pressure was not too high on the players because those three were missing,” said Tuchel.

Although the Germain acknowledged he could not afford to miss the “MCN” trio for too long, he was satisfied the rest of the squad made up for their absence.

“We can do without them for a few games if all the others play at their best,” he said.

PSG recruited during the summer, notably bringing in goalkeeper Keylor Navas from Real Madrid and striker Mauro Icardi on loan from Inter Milan.

But it was midfielder Idrissa Gueye who caught the eye, setting up Di Maria for the second goal and working tirelessly.

“Idrissa, I don’t know how many balls he won today,” Silva said. –