Tuchel rues PSG's terrible defeat to Manchester United

Thomas Tuchel could only look on in horror as his PSG side had ‘one of our worst games’ in their Champions League defeat to Manchester United.

Paris Saint-Germain welcomed the Red Devils to the Parc des Princes, intending to avenge their defeat in March 2019 by grabbing all three points in their Group H opener on Tuesday night.

But it was United who broke the deadlock courtesy of another Bruno Fernandes penalty in the 23rd-minute.

An unfortunate Anthony Martial own goal before the hour-mark, however, leveled the scoreline. It gave PSG, who were without Marco Verratti and Marquinhos, hope of leaving with at least a point to their name.

FULL-TIME: @PSG_English 1-2 Manchester United.

Our opening Champions League game this season ends in defeat. #PSGMU pic.twitter.com/UdXe80ZwPw

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) October 20, 2020

But the hosts eventually succumbed when Marcus Rashford scored a winner for United three minutes from time, condemning them to a first home defeat in 25 Champions League group stage matches.

“In the first half, we were simply not on the pitch,” Tuchel told beIN SPORTS. “It was not our level.

“I don’t know why, but I can just say that it was not our level, in moving the ball, in possession, in counter-attacking, in challenges, in intensity.

“By far, one of our worst games, one of our worst first halves.”

“The good news was that it could not be worse. Okay, we were down 1-0, it is easy to play better in the second half and we had to step up, it was clear,” Tuchel added after star forward Neymar failed to score in four consecutive Champions League appearances for the first time since November 2013.

“We tried to do some tactical changes because of the injury of Idrissa Gueye, we tried to bring on one more offensive guy, which was a risk that we paid for at the end also. It was like this today.

“From the start until the end it felt like we were never at our highest level, and we weren’t really into the match like was absolutely necessary on this level.”

PSG will next head to Turkey to face Istanbul Basaksehir for their second Group H match in the Champions League next week.