Down, But Not Out Against Dortmund

PSG Talking

After a poor showing away at Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain must once again dig deep and come from behind to advance to the final.

On this episode of PSG Talking, I'm joined by Ethan from PSG Fan Club Boise to discuss PSG's 1-0 loss to Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park. We break down the game's only goal, Luis Enrique's lineup, Kylian Mbappé's performance, and much more.

We begin with the rhetorical question of whether or not PSG realizes they're in the semi-finals of the Champions League and what an incredible opportunity they have ahead of them. The performance against Dortmund left much to be desired, and very few PSG players stood out on the night. We discuss Dortmund's defensive tactics and what may have gone wrong for PSG's goalscorers.

Mbappé is the unquestioned leader for PSG, but against Dortmund, he was only held to three total shots. The Frenchman didn't step up like so many expected him to, and we debate whether Luis Enrique should move him out to the left wing and move Gonçalo Ramos into the striker role. We also discuss other potential changes the manager could make, including replacing Fabian Ruiz with Manuel Ugarte or Kang-In Lee.

Dortmund's goal in the 36th minute by Niclas Füllkrug was a thing of beauty. Nico Schlotterbeck played a long pass over the PSG defense from the Dortmund side of the pitch, and Füllkrug was able to stay onside, control the pass, and finish with power and precision. We discuss the goal in detail, including Ruiz's poor effort in tracking back.

Lucas Hernández was the lone defender who was almost able to block the shot on goal from Füllkrug, but as he did, he tore his ACL and is now out for six-to-seven months. We discuss that heartbreaking news and how Luis Enrique will replace him in the starting lineup.

We then transition to the return leg at the Parc des Princes on May 7. Despite the loss in the first leg, many supporters remain positive. We try to predict what changes Luis Enrique will make both in the starting lineup and tactically. We also talk about the importance of PSG getting an early goal, whether Mbappé could position himself for his first Ballon d'Or by reaching the Champions League final, and we give our final prediction for the return leg.

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