Next Tuesday, February 15 at 9:00 p.m., Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid will face each other in the Parc des Princes in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. It is a clash between two of the best teams in Europe. Both teams will go all out to get the tie on track.
First, PSG’s Argentine coach, Mauricio Pochettino, appeared before the media.
About Gueye and Diallo: “Idrissa Gueye and Abdou Diallo will not be able to start tomorrow.”
Is PSG favourite?: “I don’t think there is more pressure from one side than the other. We respect Madrid as one of the biggest in the world. What Madrid does in this competition speaks clearly, it’s not a matter of players or coaches, it’s a matter of the internal strength of the team. club. There is no favourite, I think it is a tie that could be a Champions League final. Paris Saint Germain has been waiting for more than 50 years to win this title, I think we are the contenders. Those who have the habit of winning the Champions League are in front”
Who will play in goal?: “After seven months we are governed by the criteria that have worked and it doesn’t matter who plays in goal, because we have two top goalkeepers. So far it has worked.”
How do you see Messi?: “These are important nights and Leo is fine and he can convey a lot of things individually and on paper with the whole team. His role can be fundamental. The team is also fine, there’s no need to talk in a game like this. Everyone He’s involved. I see Leo well and looking forward to it.”
At 18:05, the Italian coach of Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti, appeared before the media.
Will Karim play?: “I have to listen and make the decision. The medical discharge already has it. He has trained doing races and sprints, but you have to see the feeling. But the coach has to wait to see what he says. The player hasn’t played for a month , but it’s Karim. If he’s okay, he has to play.”
Does PSG have more pressure than Real Madrid?: “The pressure that both teams have is to play against a great rival. We don’t have to think too far ahead. We have to prepare well for this game, handle the pressure… It’s not an obsession, it’s a motivation. We play against a team big, in a spectacular stadium… I always think we’re going to get him out. It’s not a difficult game to prepare for, because the motivation and the head, which is the most important thing, is one hundred percent. The coach has to make a plan , but we are two recognizable teams and neither for Pochettino nor for us it is very difficult to prepare for the match”
How do you plan to prepare the match?: “The game has to be complete, as I’ve said before, I don’t think anything special is going to happen in this game. PSG will have possession and danger in the transition. And Madrid the same. We have touch and vertical play. We are two recognizable teams, similar in this sense. I think the two teams play almost similar football. You have to win the game by playing a complete game. Defending, defensive vigilance, all this”.
Would you open the door to get a fourth midfielder in your team?: I think the system is not going to change from 433, then the idea could be to put a midfielder to play on the outside. But the condition of players that we have allows us to play with two players used to playing on the outside”.
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