The return of the UEFA Champions League is finally here but before we can focus on Paris Saint-Germain’s matchup against Atalanta, there’s plenty to discuss from the club’s two domestic cup victories and exhibition match against Sochaux.
On this episode of The 1970 (recorded on August 6, 2020), Marc Damon is joined by fellow PSG Talk contributor, Ty! The conversation begins with that match against Ligue 2’s Sochaux and the appearance of Xavi Simons, Kays Ruiz-Atil, and other youngsters who will look to replace the recently departed Tanguy Kouassi and Adil Aouchiche.
As always with PSG, the squad has suffered several injuries to key players that make the Champions League quarter-final match against Atalanta a lot more difficult. Kylian Mbappé went down with an ankle injury against AS Saint-Étienne in the Coupe de France final and Marco Verratti reportedly picked up an injury in training before the match against Sochaux.
Despite manager Thomas Tuchel lowering expectations due to the injuries, fans still expect the squad to compete and advance. How Les Parisiens can pull that off is a different story. Tuchel has to decide on a formation that can slow down the high-scoring squad from Serie A. He will be without Verratti and Angel Di Maria due to a suspension. Mbappé could play a role but it’s doubtful he will be able to play for longer than 30 minutes. Could we see a return to the 4-3-3 formation? Will Marquinhos move into the midfield? Marc and Ty discuss all of the options and tactics available to Tuchel.
The show wraps up with both contributors giving their final prediction for the match against Atalanta. Is this the year PSG reach the semi-finals of the Champions League? You’ll have to listen to find out.
As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts.
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