Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann are two of the most well-known names among this new generation of football managers. Both will now go head to head against each other in the Champions League Semi-Finals. Both of them are managing their first Champions League Semi-Finals where stakes are high. With PSG and Leipzig both want to go into the final, we can witness a tactical spectacle in the tie. So, Here’s our PSG vs Leipzig Tactical Preview about how both teams can tactically set up.
Paris Saint Germain
After years of disappointment and choking in the crucial stages, finally, PSG has reached the semi-finals of the competition that they longed for quite a while. They come across a Leipzig side after a last-minute 2-1 win against Atalanta in the Quarter Finals. Tuchel will be cautious not to give away this opportunity to reach the final. The PSG boss will try to outclass the German counterpart both tactically and mentally.
PSG vs Leipzig Tactical Preview: Tactical Set up of Paris St Germain
PSG, this season has followed a unique formation which looks like a 4-2-2-2 formation. Tuchel has used this formation with success at the Parisian Club. Hopefully, he will not change that in a crucial semi-final tie. With Mbappe and Di Maria both coming back into the starting line up. The team will further be strengthened up quite a bit. With Marquinhos and Thiago Silva at the back, stability in the defence will be a key for PSG. Di Maria and Neymar are expected to be in the winger role. Mbappe and Icardi have the roles to convert the chances into goals upfront.
PSG will try to play it out from the back. PSG are habituated to facing teams who play with a low block against them and they are pretty good in handling that situation, but this time it could be a problem. PSG will try to form a diamond structure from the back which has been a feature for them this season, which will give rise to more passing options to the team. Rico, who will replace Navas, will be the beginner of the building up from the back. Leipzig’s weakness in clearing out trouble will be PSG’s main target. Navas had suffered a leg muscle pull in the last game and is set to miss the semi-final game.
PSG may try to build a strong mid-block against Leipzig’s positional play in the midfield. The centre backs will have to be alert with a lot depending on them in the defence and in case of the counters, they will play out passes to the wide regions unlocking the wingers or fullbacks. Leipzig will basically depend on the counter-attack a lot, which is a concern for PSG, as they looked shaky in the back against counters against Atalanta.
Expected Line Up: PSG
RB Leipzig
A club which was formed in Leipzig in the year of 2009 was named RB Leipzig as they had began their journey from the 4th division of German Football. 11 years later, they are going all out for a Champions League Final Spot, fighting for the pinnacle of European Football. They defeated Atletico Madrid in a shock 2-1 victory. Their fairytale run has caught the imagination of a lot of football fans.
PSG vs Leipzig Tactical Preview: Tactical Setup of Leipzig
RB Leipzig, under the prodigy of Julian Nagelsmann, plays in a 3-3-3-1 formation. But this is only the starting formation. In the case of Atletico match, We have seen them shifting into 4-2-3-1 formation, when in control of the ball in the first half. But again in the second half, they transitioned into a 3-5-2 setup to provide more flexibility to their midfield. This gives us knowledge about how flexible the German Club has become under Nagelsmann.
The two wingers play an important role up front as they use their pace and positioning skills to constantly trick their marker. The Centre forward acts as a deep-lying forward as he drops in the midfield at times to provide support to the Defensive minded midfielders. This will hamper opponents playing out from the back and will force them to play long balls. The Central midfielders will stay in front of the defensive line to create a mid-block in the central areas. This will outnumber opponents and will force them to go wide. There are central defenders who are extremely good while defending crosses, so they can negate the danger easily.
In the case of both defense and attack, they try to outnumber their opposition in the wings, Neymar and Di Maria can prove to be their target. The central midfielders will play the role of the pivot and will help them to move the ball around from one flank to another. They try to play their way out from the back with Klostermann and Halstenberg being the main defenders tasked with playing out from the back. Heinrichs and Hwang Hee Lee will miss the match due to injury.
Expected Line Up: Leipzig
Final Thoughts
PSG vs Leipzig can turn out to be a tactical slugfest with both teams refusing to lose. It’s both pride and Champions League Final spot is at stake. We will witness two of the rising managerial superstars battling it out. Will we see a Neymar Masterclass or we will see the Leipzig fairy tale continue? Only time will tell.
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