‘Humble’ PSG keeping cool heads after making Champions League last 16

BELGRADE: Paris SaintGermain coach Thomas Tuchel said his side need to ‘stay humble’ after they thumped Red Star Belgrade 4-1 and qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, finishing ahead of Liverpool and Napoli to top a tight Group C.

First-half goals from Edinson Cavani and Neymar set the French champions on their way, before a bullet header from Marquinhos, Kylian Mbappe’s injury-time strike and Liverpool beating Napoli 1- 0 ensured first place in the group after Marko Gobeljic pulled one back for the hosts early in the second half.

“We made mistakes, but I really liked the reaction after Belgrade’s goal. We controlled the match,” said Tuchel to RMC Sport after the win.

“We need to stay humble and have a professional attitude. We are improving and we are hard to beat.”

PSG finished the group stage on 11 points, two ahead of secondplaced Liverpool and Napoli, who were eliminated due to their defeat at Anfield.

Topping such a keenly-contested group is a huge boost for PSG, who have dominated French football since being taken over by Qatari investors but flattered to deceive on the continent.

Arrival in the knockout stage comes after two straight wins for PSG, with Tuesday’s beating of Red Star coming after a crucial 2-1 victory over Liverpool that put qualification in their hands.

“We showed for a second time after the match against Liverpool that we are ready for this kind of match,” added Tuchel, whose side began the group stage with a 3-2 defeat by the Reds at Anfield and then struggled to contain Napoli in the two draws with the Italian side.

However, PSG scored 10 goals in two games against Red Star, who beat Liverpool and drew with Napoli in Belgrade – dropped points that allowed the Ligue 1 leaders to finish top.

PSG had Red Star on the back foot from the start, and their blistering attacking trio of Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani did not waste time in putting the away side ahead. — AFP