PSG

LISBON — Bayern Munich's success in reaching the final of the Champions League has been built on a very distinct tactical approach but it is one that carries big risks against Paris Saint-Germain, leaving coach Hansi Flick with a major dilemma.

Bayern play an aggressive pressing game, pinning back their opponents, maintaining pressure on their defence and making it difficult for them to move the ball through the midfield.

LISBON — If any player has felt perfectly at home during the unique circumstances surrounding the climax to this year's Champions League, it is Paris Saint-Germain's Argentine winger Ángel Di María.

As soon as UEFA decided that Portuguese capital Lisbon would host the quarterfinals onwards in a mini-tournament, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Di Maria felt good vibes.

The retooling of Barcelona is continuing at a frantic pace with the firing of Quique Setién and hiring of Ronald Koeman as manager and the firing of Eric Abidal and hiring of Ramon Planes as technical director, but you can’t say that the club’s specter isn’t still haunting this season’s Champions League with former player Neymar and current loanee Philippe Coutinho set to do battle in the final. 

Tyler Adams was given 27 minutes to rescue RB Leipzig. Brought on by Julian Nagelsmann in the 63rd minute, his side already trailing by three goals, the New Yorker was hoping to make an immediate impact.

His initial contribution, however, was to play horsey-ride with PSG megastar Neymar.

With the halftime whistle approaching and PSG nursing a slender 1-0 lead over RB Leipzig despite a dominant opening 45 that included seven shots and 70 percent possession, a horrible turnover from Péter Gulácsi presented the Parisian side with a chance to double its advantage. 

The Leipzig keeper’s pass initially went straight to Leandro Paredes, who rifled a ball at Neymar just inside the area. For the normal footballer there’s not a lot that can be done with Paredes’ pass, but Neymar is not a normal footballer.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappé could start Tuesday's Champions League semifinal against RB Leipzig, as the French club target their first appearance in a Champions League final.

Mbappé came off the bench for the last half hour against Atalanta last week to set up the winning goal, and Thomas Tuchel told a news conference the France World Cup winner had suffered no reaction to his injured ankle.

Paris Saint-Germain’s last three European odysseys could largely be boiled down into a series of infamous images that haunted the club’s every waking moment. 

In 2016-17, La Remontada gave us Messi lording over the Camp Nou…

And the cursed image of Ángel Di María shushing the ground prior to Barça’s three-goal haul in the final seven minutes of the match. 

We admit, it’s easy to shit on Neymar; he’s the opposite of the hard-nosed player fawned over by traditional English media. 

He dances, he taunts, he teases, he flaunts. But on Wednesday, he also inspired.