Dominated in Munich overall, PSG logically lost against Bayern even if the score (1-0) does not say everything about the match, on both sides. For this particularly difficult trip, Luis Enrique did not hesitate to make strong choices. Return and analysis on these, from Safonov to Dembélé via the mid-four.
Safonov who makes a… Donnarumma
After the doubts before PSG/Atlético (1-2), the ax fell this time and Gianluigi Donnarumma was therefore on the bench in favor of Matvey Safonov, officially in relation to the Bavarians' pressing. The Russian is largely responsible for the only goal of the match, which therefore makes this choice a mistake. Given Donnarumma's history in the aerial field, especially given his match at Arsenal not long ago, it would be daring to say that the Italian would have done better on this famous Bavarian corner.
But looking at Safonov's overall performance, it's hard not to recognize what is typically Donnarumma's European Cup match: a cap goal, numerous saves before and after the error to allow his team to stay in the match and a completely optional kicking game, if not penalizing. When it comes to judging this choice, it's hard to see anything positive or negative, simply confirmation that neither of the two goalkeepers really stands out over the other at the start of the season.
Nuno Mendes released, but too stubborn
After weeks of being positioned as the left central defender of PSG's three-man base when they have the ball, Luis Enrique changed his recovery system this Tuesday evening in Germany. Via more or less fluid mechanisms with Pacho and the midfielders close to him, Nuno Mendes had the freedom to move forward and he was regularly seen far from his defensive line, sometimes even in the 9 position.
But while he normally enjoyed a freedom worthy of Hakimi, the Portuguese ultimately did not do much of it due to his own fault. Convinced of his ability to break through with the ball, he played alone on too many occasions and was picked off by Bayern's defensive organization almost every time. Given the extent to which he places the collective above all else, it is frankly not certain that Luis Enrique will give him back so much freedom given what he has done with it. From the second half, he saw his offensive prerogatives reduced…
Four backgrounds, a first
It was probably Luis Enrique's most marked choice before this Bayern/PSG: the PSG coach had removed an attacker, his usual false point, to add a midfielder. For the first time this season, Paris really played with four midfielders, but not really in a diamond however. PSG was structured in a sort of 4-1-3-2, with the midfielders eccentric in the half-spaces on each side and not stuck to the line, which provided great axial density.
This organization, both new and ultimately quite close to the usual, only Neves being in a truly new role a step ahead of Vitinha, did not really give the expected result since the Bayern midfielder, ordered by Kimmich, was in the The whole dominated and PSG never seemed particularly superior in numbers in this sector, even though that was the initial idea. A sign that the plan didn't work, quite simply.
The battle for possession at the heart of the game plan, but lost
Behind this desire to align four midfielders was obviously the battle for possession for two teams who live enormously through it and for it. This was probably the biggest failure of Luis Enrique's plan, particularly in the first half when Bayern had the ball two-thirds of the time. It is no coincidence that the PSG coach insisted after the match on this first half where his troops were frankly dominated when debriefing the game.
The point where he had put most of his vice strengths, with both number and suitable profiles, is the one where Paris disappointed the most and this is a terrible disavowal for his game project, at the less with these players. Despite more people in the heart of the game, Paris has never been as bad and harmless with the ball as in Munich during the first period. His PSG can only live with the ball given the aligned profiles, and he was never able to advance it towards Neuer's goal when he had it, blocked by the German pressing. The biggest failure of this Bayern/PSG is probably there in the eyes of the coach.
Dembélé less to the right and higher, but less influential and still as clumsy
As a result of the four midfielders lined up from the kick-off, Ousmane Dembélé found himself in the role of a real right attacker, not a fourth midfielder as he normally is during the match. Relieved of responsibility for releasing the ball, away from Hakimi, the usual winger found himself playing a very different performance than usual and he simply did not succeed, with frustration discharged in a very bad way.
An offensive player who lives by volume, with an ability to touch a lot of balls given the differences he is capable of producing, he ended up locked in a role totally contrary to what he is: few balls to play and the need to be fair and precise. Unsurprisingly, both because of his habits in the competition and because what was asked of him does not correspond to what he knows how to do, he went completely astray and undermined his team. It’s obviously his responsibility, but his coach didn’t help him at first either.
