Thomas Tuchel hailed Paris Saint-Germain’s attitude against RB Leipzig and refused to apologize for winning in an underwhelming fashion.
PSG picked up a narrow 1-0 victory over Leipzig at the Parc des Princes to leapfrog the Germans into second place in Group H.
It was Neymar’s 11th-minute penalty that eventually made all the difference between the sides. However, there’s a genuine feeling Les Parisiens could and should have done better.
Indeed, ever since taking the lead early on, Tuchel’s men surrendered ball possession to their visitors, opting to go in retreat and defend the narrow advantage.
PSG finished the game with the lowest possession in the Champions League since 2017, keeping the ball at their feet just 38% of the time.
What’s more, they made mere eight shots in total compared to Leipzig’s 15 and created virtually zero clear-cut opportunities since Neymar converted a spot-kick.
Tuchel admits last season’s Champions League runners-up were lucky to walk away with three points but sees no reason to say sorry for the way they won.
“We lacked luck in Leipzig [PSG lost 2-1 in the reverse fixture three weeks ago], and tonight we had some luck,” he said, as relayed by Goal.
“We played with a lot of solidarity and defended with a lot of heart.
“Always together. That’s why we won. I’m not going to apologize for that. The match demanded that we defend deep, and we just did what the game demanded of us.
“Tonight, it wasn’t possible to get out of pressure with the ball, and we have to accept that. I accept it.
“We want to attack. We’ve done that before. But sometimes it’s just not possible.”
A victory in Paris puts Tuchel’s men in a good spot ahead of their trip to England.
PSG will be looking to turn the tables on Manchester United when the two sides meet at Old Trafford on Matchday 5.
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