RB Leipzig 0 Paris St Germain 3

Updated: 07/10/2024

PSG make short work of RB Leipzig on the way to their maiden Champions League final

2019-20 UEFA Champions League semi-finals round-up

RB Leipzig 0 Paris St Germain 3 Review

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Paris St Germain put in a clinical performance to knockout RB Leipzig 3-0 in the semi-finals at the Estadio da Luz, Lisbon on Tuesday night.

As Europe's biggest spenders, PSG always under-performed but not this time as they stormed into their first ever Champions League finals on the back of goals from Marquinhos, Angel di Maria and Juan Bernat.

Leipzig were patchy from the start and had very little to show for their first-half efforts apart from a header shot wide by Yussuf Poulsen.

The absence of ace striker Timo Werner was acutely felt as the Bundesliga club failed to make any goal-mouth impact from the handful of moves they made going forward.

Looking more like a side out to contain their opponents rather than to get goals, Leipzig fell behind in the 13th minute when Marquinhos rose unmarked to nod home a beautifully guided Angel Di Maria free-kick.

The Paris side could have well doubled their lead a little later when Neymar's free-kick from some distance caught Peter Gulacsi by surprise as it hit the near post and rolled away.

Julen Nagelsmann's side desperate to keep the deficit to just one till the interval, shot themselves in the foot thanks to some callous work by the Leipzig keeper Gulacsi.

The Hungarian looked to play out from the back but his ball meant for Marcel Sabitzer only succeeded in finding PSG midfielder Leandro Paredes, whose pass to Neymar was brilliantly flicked inside for Di Maria to fire into the net.

Leipzig had very little to show for their first-half efforts apart from Yussuf Poulsen's failed header.

Nagelsmann replaced Christopher Nkunku and Dani Olmo with Patrik Schick and Emil Forsberg to limited effect as both of them made attempts that were off target.

In fact, PSG defender Juan Bernat sealed the win in the 56th with a header that Leipzig felt was offside.

Replays showed that Nordi Mukiele who had slipped in the build-up, was playing the scorer onside and the legitimacy of the Bernat goal stood.

A fully fit Kylian Mbappe who was one of the chief tormentors of the Leipzig defense, had the opportunity to add one more for PSG but he somehow glanced his header wide from a Di Maria delivery late in the game.

Thomas Tuchel may be on the threshold of achieving the very European colours for which the Qatari owners of PSG have spent huge sums.

He is 90 minutes of achieving European glory last attained when the Parisienne club won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1997.

RB Leipzig despite the defeat can be proud of having come a long way. Recent entrants to big-time European football, the club's metamorphosis began in 2009 when energy drinks giant Red Bull bought fifth-tier side SSV Markranstadt and rebranded them.

The past 11 years have witnessed a stunning rise for the club, courtesy of four promotions, a regular presence in the top rungs of the Bundesliga and now graduation to being one of the four best sides in Europe.

Meanwhile, PSG await the outcome of the match between five-time winners Bayern Munich and Lyon in the other semi-final on Wednesday.

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