Tuchel enthused by 'almost perfect' start to life at PSG

Paris Saint-Germain head into 2019 unbeaten in Ligue 1 this season, and Thomas Tuchel says they have been nearly perfect.

Published : Dec 23, 2018 16:21 IST

Thomas Tuchel believes the first half of his debut season at Paris Saint-Germain has been "almost perfect" as it heads into the mid-season break 13 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit.

PSG defeated Nantes 1-0 at the Parc des Princes on Saturday to ensure it retained its unbeaten start to the league season, having dropped just four points in total.

Not only is PSG 13 points ahead of Lille, it also has two games in hand on its closest rival, in what has been an emphatic beginning for Tuchel in Ligue 1.

But while PSG has been consistently impressive, Tuchel also feels its progress is noticeable.

"When you look at the results, it's almost perfect," Tuchel told reporters after Saturday's game. "I am very, very happy.

"We can see the progress of the team, we can feel the energy of the team. Everyone was very open to new ideas. It was nice."

 

Saturday's game was PSG's first in Ligue 1 since December 5, as the champion has had two matches postponed due to the 'gilet jaunes' demonstrations.

It had been suggested PSG looked tired and lacking in sharpness in what was a rather laboured victory over Nantes, though Tuchel is adamant the team was "amazing".

"No, I do not think so," he said when asked if they were tired. "We had 70 per cent possession, we had 40 touches in the opposing area, we had 23 shots... It's amazing.

"We played with a lot of quality. We do a very aggressive counter-pressing, we just lacked precision in the final touch, in the last pass.

"In my opinion, this is a match we could've won by four goals. We controlled the match. We deserved to win.

"We are tired, but that's normal. The team has been amazing. I compliment my players."

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment