Match: Dortmund/PSG (1-0): the 10 km difference which is the subject of debate

Borussia Dortmund took the lead over PSG on Wednesday evening by winning 1-0 at home in the Champions League semi-final first leg. A high-level match from the German club, marked in particular by the great performance of the experienced Mats Hummels (35) in central defense.

At the end of his contract on June 30, the BvB central defender returned to the match on DAZN: “It was a cohesive team performance. We played a high-level match. Of course, we needed a lot of luck, especially on one action (in reference to the two consecutive posts from Mbappé and Hakimi, editor’s note). Otherwise, we can be very satisfied with this match. A very mature match from us”.

Dortmund traveled 10 kilometers more than PSG

Hummels was also asked about this statistic, which was widely commented on in the post-match. On Wednesday evening, the BvB ran almost 10 kilometers more than PSG (119.7 km for the Germans, compared to 110.1 km for the Parisians). What does the German international think?

“This is a figure to be taken seriously, he estimated. But it was necessary to beat such a team.” Hummels then tried to explain this figure: “It must be said that Paris already has two or three players who don’t make every meter defensively, but who have crazy offensive qualities. That’s why I guess they usually run a little less than the opponent. But unfortunately that doesn’t make them weaker.”.

“If you have the ball, the opposing team runs more than yours”

For Hummels, this gap is just the translation of two different playing philosophies and it is certainly not Luis Enrique who will contradict him. The Spanish coach is very attached to ball possession and had already explained earlier in the season why he thinks his team ran less than their opponents.

The Parisian coach was questioned on the subject before the round of 16 of the Coupe de France won against Brest and declared this: “My teams play with possession so that the opponent runs. It’s normal to run less than him. In principle, it is proven that if you have the ball and use it well, the opposing team runs more than yours. I have nothing else to add on this subject. In my career, I have never coached a single team that did not go the distance necessary to win games. »

PSG runs less, but better?

Wednesday evening, PSG ran less than Dortmund, but had more of the ball (57% possession) and had more shots on goal (14 against 13), even if they were less on target (3 shots against 4 for Dortmund) . If the difference in kilometers can be of interest, we can say without being too mistaken that it will not arouse any particular emotion in Luis Enrique, who has never “ran” after this stat’ precisely. In the first leg against Real Sociedad, their PSG had run much less than their opponent (111.5 km compared to 116.5 km), which did not prevent them from winning 2-0.

Also note that last February, a few days after Luis Enrique’s exit before Brest, Le Parisien had obtained internal data from the Parisian clubwhich reflected his good physical health in Ligue 1, but also in the Champions League.

In the group stage, PSG was notably the best team in Europe in the distances covered in sprint and the 6th team to make the most high-intensity runs, with 844 meters covered on average per player per game. To popularize thingsPSG was presented at the time like a team runningless than his adversaries, but in a mannermore intense era.