PSG reach their first Champions League Final after routing RB Leipzig 3-0

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George Flood18 August 2020

Paris Saint-Germain are through to their maiden Champions League Final following a comfortable 3-0 victory over RB Leipzig.

Marquinhos, Angel Di Maria and Juan Bernat were all on target on a straightforward night for the dominant French quadruple winners in the first one-legged last-four tie at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.

Either domestic rivals Lyon or prolific Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich await PSG in Sunday's final, with the second France vs Germany semi-final battle to come at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Wednesday night.

Leipzig showed one change to the starting XI that toppled Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals as French defender Nordi Mukiele replaced Marcel Halstenberg to facilitate a switch from a back three to a four-man defensive unit designed to help contain their opponents' significant forward threats.

PSG, meanwhile, restored Kylian Mbappe - initially considered a major doubt for the mini-tournament in Portugal due to an ankle injury sustained in last month's French Cup Final - to the starting lineup following his impactful 30-minute cameo in the quarter-final comeback against Atalanta and also welcomed back Di Maria from suspension.

Marquinhos celebrates Paris Saint-Germain's opening goal with Neymar, who had already hit the post in Lisbon
Getty Images

Former Fulham loanee Sergio Rico was called upon to deputise for injured first-choice goalkeeper Keylor Navas, while outgoing captain Thiago Silva was deemed fit to start after a knock and Leandro Paredes replaced the injured Idrissa Gana Gueye in midfield.

With their most potent attacking triumvirate reunited, PSG looked to force the early initiative and Neymar - heavily criticised for a string of glaring quarter-final misses that could have cost his side dearly - toe-poked against the post and wide after being released by Mbappe's low through-ball.

A handball from the Brazilian then prevented an early opener after Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi had inadvertently thrashed the ball straight at him.

A miskick near the penalty spot from former PSG midfielder Christopher Nkunku followed by a hopeful strike from Marcel Sabitzer was as good as it got for Leipzig before they fell behind in the 13th minute when a fine free-kick from Di Maria - who had wasted an opportunity with a poor low cross just moments before - was headed in superbly by a rising Marquinhos.

That opener set the tone for the remainder of a one-sided first half, with Gulacsi making a strong close-range stop to deny Mbappe and Neymar clipping the woodwork again as he tried to deceive the Hungarian goalkeeper with a quick-thinking free-kick from wide on the right.

Angel Di Maria had a goal and two assists on a memorable return to the starting lineup after suspension
REUTERS

Between those chances, Sabitzer's powerful free-kick for Leipzig was headed behind by Silva and Yussuf Poulsen shot wide after Konrad Laimer's cut back and a fine ball over the top from Dani Olmo.

With tricky, fleet-footed duo Neymar and Mbappe leading the charge and Leipzig increasingly sloppy in possession, PSG threatened a second goal on the counter-attack and got it before the interval when a woeful pass from Gulasci was seized upon by Ander Herrera.

The former Manchester United midfielder's powerful cross was expertly back-heeled into the path of Di Maria by Neymar, with the Argentine taking a composed touch before dispatching the ball firmly into the bottom corner.

It could and should have been 3-0 to PSG at the interval after Neymar shot narrowly wide, adding another miss to his growing collection.

Julian Nagelsmann - losing the tactical battle against PSG counterpart and former mentor Thomas Tuchel - sent on Patrik Schick and Emil Forsberg at half-time and the duo immediately gave Leipzig more attacking impetus as they began the second half on the front foot.

However, any chance of a comeback was extinguished after a slip from Mukiele under pressure from Herrera, with the Leipzig defender - who wanted a foul - then playing Bernat onside as the Spaniard headed Di Maria's front-post cross past Gulacsi.

Juan Bernat's important third goal came after a strong start to the second half from RB Leipzig
REUTERS

Neymar was intent on helping the ball in, but it had already crossed the line before his intervention at the back post.

That third goal completely took the wind from Leipzig's sails and Mbappe headed wide and was then thwarted by a one-handed save from Gulacsi as PSG searched for number four.

Sergio Rico did well to parry a swerving Angelino effort, while at the other end Di Maria and Paredes both had chances to further extend the lead before Lukas Klostermann's botched clearance under pressure from Mbappe forced Gulacsi into action once more.

The introduction of quarter-final hero Tyler Adams made little impact for Leipzig, who were comfortably second-best all night and clearly lack an attacking focal point now all-time top scorer Timo Werner has joined Chelsea.

However, they deserve credit for reaching the last four during what was only their second season of Champions League football.

Meanwhile, the sense of relief among all at PSG at reaching the final after years of high-profile failures on the biggest stage will be palpable.

They are the 41st French Champions League finalists and first since AS Monaco in 2004.

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18 August 2020

Leipzig team

Starting XI: Gulacsi, Klostermann, Upamecano, Mukiele, Laimer, Sabitzer, Kampl, Angelino, Nkunku, Olmo, Poulsen

Subs: Mvogo, Tschauner, Orban, Haidara, Forsberg, Adams, Lookman, Shick, Halstenberg, Novoa, Borkowski, Wosz

18 August 2020

Head to head record

Tonight actually represents the first-ever competitive meeting between these two sides.

They did clash once before in a pre-season friendly back in July 2014, with Leipzig running out 4-2 winners at the Red Bull Arena.

Yussuf Poulsen - the man tasked with stepping into Timo Werner's shoes against Atletico - was on the scoresheet for the Bundesliga side that day.

18 August 2020

Standard Sport prediction: Leipzig 0-2 PSG

Leipzig played some entertaining football and deserved their win against Atletico with Yussuf Poulsen stepping up to replace the departed Werner, but they lacked cutting edge for the most part and got a huge slice of good fortune with Adams' shot that took a wicked deflection to deceive Jan Oblak.

Dayot Upamecano was superb in the centre of defence as he showed his qualities in possession while keeping Diego Costa firmly under wraps, but the likes of Neymar and Mbappe will pose a much bigger test that you feel the Frenchman will have to rise to again if Leipzig are to continue to defy the odds and reach the final on August 23.

PSG were far from at their best against Atalanta, with Neymar in particular flattering to deceive for long stretches, but they possess the firepower necessary to negotiate their way out of tricky positions.

Nagelsmann will no doubt be relishing the chance to tactically outwit former mentor Tuchel, but this may prove a step too far for his side as PSG look to make the final after so many high-profile failures on Europe's biggest stage.

18 August 2020

Tuchel vs Nagelsmann - familar opponents

Photo: AFP via Getty Images

One of the most intriguing subplots heading into tonight's first semi-final contest is the pre-existing relationship between coaches Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann.

It was apparently Tuchel, during his time in charge at Augsburg, that got Nagelsmann a job scouting and coaching with knee injuries hampering his playing career.

He has since quickly risen through the ranks to become arguably the most highly-rated young tactician in Europe, earning comparisons with Jose Mourinho and outfoxing both the Spurs boss and Atletico's Diego Simeone, among others.

Aged just 33, Nagelsmann is the youngest manager ever to reach the Champions League semi-finals.

He previously locked horns with former mentor and Dortmund coach Tuchel as manager at Hoffenheim.

18 August 2020

How did PSG get here?

Photo: Getty Images

Despite their dominance domestically, PSG - who sealed the last French quadruple in 2019/20 - have become synonymous with high-profile Champions League knockout failures over recent years, being eliminated from the quarter-finals four seasons in a row between 2013-16 before three consecutive last-16 exits.

The quarters appeared their limit again this term with Neymar particularly wasteful against free-scoring underdogs Atalanta, only for Marquinhos and former Stoke striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting - the latter teed up by Mbappe - to complete a stunning late turnaround at the Estadio da Luz and seal a first semi-final spot for 25 years.

Before that, PSG had stormed to the top of Group A ahead of Real Madrid, dropping just two points along the way and finishing with a +15 goal difference.

Tuchel's men then recovered from a first-leg defeat by Borussia Dortmund in the last 16, winning 2-0 behind closed doors at the Parc des Princes to take the tie 3-2 on aggregate thanks to goals from Neymar and Juan Bernat.

18 August 2020

How did Leipzig get here?

Photo: AFP via Getty Images

Only formed in 2009, RB Leipzig are through to the Champions League semi-finals in just their second season in Europe's elite club competition.

Julian Nagelsmann's side - who were previously the first team from east Germany to enter the European Cup for 26 years - topped Group G ahead of fellow last-four outfit Lyon, Benfica and Zenit Saint-Petersburg, losing just once and scoring 10 goals in their six matches.

They then came up against Jose Mourinho's Tottenham in the last 16 before lockdown, winning 1-0 in north London before a comfortable 3-0 victory on home soil.

And despite losing all-time top scorer Timo Werner to Chelsea during the intervening period, Leipzig saw off experienced UCL campaigners Atletico Madrid in Lisbon last week, with American Tyler Adams coming off the bench to net a deflected late winner after Dani Olmo's glancing header had been cancelled out by a Joao Felix penalty.

18 August 2020

PSG team news

Photo: Getty Images

While Mbappe is fit to start, PSG will be without first-choice goalkeeper Keylor Navas tonight due to a torn hamstring that forced him off late on against Atalanta.

Former Fulham loanee Sergio Rico looks set to deputise for the Costa Rican again this evening.

Marco Verratti is also doubtful once more with a calf problem, while fellow midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye is struggling with a muscle issue.

However, Angel Di Maria is back from suspension for the French quadruple winners, while captain Thiago Silva and full-back Layvin Kurzawa have both trained after knocks.

18 August 2020

Mbappe 'fit to start' for PSG

Photo: AFP via Getty Images

His issue was later diagnosed as a heavy sprain and the club's star forward eventually took a seat on the bench for the quarter-final clash with Atalanta, coming on for the final 30 minutes and helping to inspire that dramatic late comeback win.

Mbappe has now had more time to get back up to speed and, according to head coach Thomas Tuchel, is ready to start tonight.

"He played for 30 minutes against Atalanta and had no reaction and had six days since to work on fitness, so of course he can start," Tuchel said on Monday.

"We will decide after training whether he can play 90 minutes."

18 August 2020

Leipzig team news

Photo: Getty Images

Leipzig's summer signings Hwang Hee-Chan and Benjamin Henrichs are both ineligible to play during the latter stages of this season's Champions League, so will not feature in Lisbon tonight.

The Bundesliga outfit are also without French centre-back Ibrahima Konate, who is recovering from hip surgery.

18 August 2020

Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of tonight's Champions League semi-final between RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain!

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