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Borussia Dortmund 1 Paris Saint-Germain 0: Sancho’s role, Fullkrug fit, Dembele useless
Luis Enrique told Canal after PSG’s defeat: “That’s football. Sometimes it’s wonderful and sometimes it’s like that. We will have to analyse the chances that are created between the two teams. It’s a tough game.
“Ousmane (Dembele), because of the way he defends, we knew he could do some painting on Emre Can. And the 3 forwards opposed to the 3 defenders, with a pivot. We tried to block the ball in Füllkrug.
“Everyone knew it wasn’t going to be easy. It’s the semi-final of the Champions League. The dressing room is a bit messy, especially after hitting the post twice. But our fans guided us through the game. We have to recognise that it’s an exceptional stadium, with fans who know how to help their team. “
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Edin Terzic spoke to DAZN after Dortmund’s win: “It’s a well-deserved win, a smart performance from the team. We may have scored more goals, but so have they. That’s why, from my point of view, the result is smart.
“We ran a lot, but that’s in a game like this. All we want now is a draw in the second leg, but we also want to win next week. We have a small advantage and a smart opportunity. “
PSG captain Marquinhos also added to Canal: “It’s a control between two groups who like to pass, have the ball and press. It’s a physical control.
“We had a lot of chances, especially in the second half, and opportunities that we must not waste if we want to qualify for the Champions League final. At home, you have to make sure you take advantage of them.
“It’s difficult to play here. We knew what a fight it was going to be. We’ve already overcome it, especially at home in front of our fans.
“The Parc des Princes, our fans. We know we can do much more than what we do today. We just have to take advantage when they come and be more decisive, either offensively or defensively. “
Speaking to French channel Canal after the match, Achraf Hakimi said: “We are unhappy with the result. We didn’t take advantage of the chances we created, especially in the second half.
“We knew what Dortmund would do: the balls back. We had to be aware of that. It was something the coach had been talking to us about all week.
“At home it will be different. With our fans, in our stadium, it will be absolutely different. I have a lot of confidence in this team. The opportunities we created today, we’ll rectify next week. “
After talking about the result, Hummels spoke about the impact on the Dortmund fans.
“We know how difficult it is for our rivals to beat us here,” he said. “I think the last defeat here in the Champions League was maybe in the quarter-finals against Manchester City (in April 2021). Dortmund, you know how complicated it is.
“The challenge is that now we have to move on to Paris, we know how difficult it is to play there and I don’t think I’ve ever won in Paris, so it’s a smart time to win there for the first time.
“They are a strong team, there will be a smart atmosphere and we can expect a wonderful game on Tuesday. “
Jadon Sancho completed 12 dribbles tonight, the most made by an England player in a Champions League match since Opta began recording those stats in 2003.
It is also the most achieved by a player in the UCL semi-finals since Lionel Messi made 16 in April 2008 against Manchester United.
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More and more enthusiasts of either team, and some neutrals, are interested in the post-game reaction in our chat tab here. So what are the reviews on who did the right thing and the wrong thing?
Cristóbal G agrees: Dortmund ended up looking for Cushty in this impressive game. Mendes had a very difficult game against Sancho, especially because Ryerson had a lot of time and area to bring the ball and double during the maximum of the game.
Brian M says: What a game, fantastic Sancho and Hummels.
And Besar D concludes: Sancho is back!
Mats Hummels is one of the few active players who took part in Dortmund’s last Champions League final in 2013 and spoke to TNT Sports after the match.
“It was intense, but also a lot of fun to play in that stadium with the fans,” he said. “Today everyone gave 100 per cent and we worked very well as a group.
“We didn’t play perfectly, so it’s smart to see that we still got a smart result compared to such a smart team. There is room for improvement, but we can be very satisfied with the game and the result today. “
Dortmund were ruled out in all quarters before those semi-finals.
Still, they are the team that will take the lead in next week’s second leg.
They will most likely continue to be noted as the underdogs in this clash, with PSG playing the second leg in front of their own supporters, but it wasn’t luck that got them in tonight.
Whoever wins the draw between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid will go into the final as heavy favourites, but either group will be hard to beat at Wembley if they manage to do so.
It was only the fourth time PSG had been level all season, and the first to end in defeat rather than a 0-0 draw.
The good news for PSG is that they have progressed after two of their last four Champions League knockout matches in which they lost the first leg, the first of which they faced Dortmund themselves in 2020.
Fans post their full-time thoughts on our discussion tab at the top of the page and which can be clicked here.
Johnny R says: Can anyone explain why (Chelsea manager) Mauricio Pochettino couldn’t use Ian Maatsen?He happens to be the best and promising left-back ? ♂️
Javier D adds: Dortmund are absent (I hope I’m wrong). It’s to think that after so many chances they can’t score a second goal. In Paris it will be a different story, today we have to take credits. !
Antoine B agrees, commenting: “You’d be surprised if Dortmund weren’t crushed at the Parc des Princes.
Athletic’s Carl Anka also echoed this opinion: I don’t see that PSG can’t score at home. Dortmund needed a second goal in the first leg.
Accept? Disagree? Let us know!
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Borussia Dortmund are now unbeaten in their last home games in the Champions League (W7 D4), extending their longest run in the competition.
It was going to be Kylian Mbappe’s step, but it was fellow striker Niclas Fullkrug who made the difference tonight.
Peter Rutzler, Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, Thom Harris and Elias Burke of the Athletic analysed the main conversation problems of this match and examined:
Follow the link below to see their breakdown!
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Borussia Dortmund 1 Paris Saint-Germain 0: Sancho’s role, Fullkrug fit, Dembele useless
Lots of colorful language from CBS co-commentator Ray Hudson in the second half, here are some of the “best. “
He lamented the “sacred geometry of chance” after PSG got it right twice in a row.
After the chances, Hudson described a “fish-in-the-tree finish,” a “one-shot garlic smoothie” and Ousmane Dembele’s “right foot turning into a jellyfish the size of nine. “
At the end of the game, he concluded: “It’s Woodstock, we had Jimi Hfinishrix and The Who. . . Football is one of life’s greatest mysteries. “
I would say that some of those metaphors are one of life’s greatest mysteries!
It is Borussia Dortmund’s fifth blank sheet in the Champions League this season, the highest in the tournament.
Yes, this is due to PSG’s unnecessary finishing and the help of the carpenters, but it is possible that it will happen next week.
With his goal in the 36th minute, Niclas Fullkrug became the third Borussia Dortmund player to score at least three goals and three assists in a single season in the Champions League.
He joins Stéphane Chapuisat in 1996-97 (3 goals, 3 assists) and Tomáš Rosický in 2002-03 (3 goals, 3 assists).
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As in the first leg of the quarter-finals against Barcelona, PSG took the lead in the first half.
And they would have been tied at the base of Gregor Kobel’s position.
First, Kylian Mbappe directed a near-perfect attempt into the corner before seeing it hit the inside of the post and back towards it. A few seconds later, Achraf Hakimi aimed for the other corner but achieved the same result.
Two very fortunate rebounds for the locals and desperate for the visitors.
Submarines:
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