PARIS (AP) – Faced with a headache to build a competitive squad for the opening of his team’s French championship, Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel asks for patience.
After squandering Bayern Munich in the Champions League final last month, PSG returned to national duties on Thursday with a tough game in Lens, with no seven players joining Neymar and Kylian Mbappé.
The duo was ignored along with Keylor Navas, Mauro Icardi, Angel Di Maria, Leandro Paredes and Marquinhos. All seven players tested COVID-19.
“It’s a little strange to start with a very complicated game in Lens,” Tuchel said at a video convention on Wednesday. “It’s going to be very complicated. “
The match comes 18 days after the final of the Champions League, he noted.
“We play in a humble and serious way, but other people don’t expect too much from us,” Tuchel said.
Mbappé aside, the other six players who tested positive were part of a recent vacation to Ibiza in Spain, which was cleared, following the club’s loss to Bayern on 23 August. To make this possible, the kickoff of PSG’s new crusade – originally scheduled for August 29 in Lens, was postponed to September 10, prompting strong complaints from Lens fans.
With so many PSG stars absent, the north side now have a chance to end a nine-match winless streak against the French champions. Back in flight this season, Lens lost its opening 2-1 to Nice.
“I am pleased to play and face the finalists of the champions league, even if they will have all their players,” said Lens coach Franck Haise. “Do you want me to say we’re favorites? No, we’re favorites. PSG, even if it will be at its best. There will still be many smart players in the PSG and we know it will be very complicated anyway.
Tuchel said he could lift some members of the under-19 team. When asked if some of the players marginalized by the virus could return to the rival of the marseille bitter house on Sunday, Tuchel seemed overly optimistic.
“Maybe some of them can come back with the team on Friday or Saturday, so let’s see,” Tuchel said. “The most important thing is to be very, very guilty and careful. “
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