Samir Nasri has weighed in on PSG’s defeat in the UEFA Champions League against Borussia Dortmund. The former Arsenal midfielder notably singled out the performance of certain key players from the club, stating they didn’t live up to expectations. According to him, the Parisians lacked punch against Borussia Dortmund.
Paris Saint-Germain suffered a 1-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League encounter on Wednesday, May 1st. Despite hitting the post twice, the German team only managed a single-goal lead. Played in front of a fervent crowd at the Yellow Wall, the match was characterized by swift exchanges reminiscent of a ping-pong game, with each team taking turns to dominate.
The first shot of the match came from Ousmane Dembélé for PSG, but his effort lacked precision (11th minute). PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma then stopped an attempt from Sabitzer for Dortmund (14th minute). Despite Paris’ temporary dominance, Dortmund’s defense held firm against relentless attacks. Borussia Dortmund opened the scoring in the 36th minute through Fullkrüg, following a decisive pass from Schlotterbeck. Despite Paris’ efforts to equalize, Dortmund goalkeeper Kobel made crucial saves, notably denying shots from Mbappé and Hakimi (49th minute). Marquinhos and Ruiz also missed chances to score for PSG. Dortmund attempted to extend their lead, with a missed effort from Füllkrug and a penalty claim rejected by the referee for contact with Nuno Mendes (60th and 63rd minutes).
Though the pace of the match slowed thereafter, PSG continued to press forward. Dembélé and Marquinhos attempted shots but without success. Despite a late effort from Marquinhos to salvage his team with a shot from Brandt (87th minute), PSG failed to equalize. The team will now have to wait for the second leg on May 7th to try to turn the tide. It will also mark Kylian Mbappé’s final UEFA Champions League match at the Parc des Princes with Paris, offering a special occasion for the young prodigy.
Nasri was unimpressed with the performance of certain PSG key players
This disappointing performance by Paris Saint-Germain, which evidently fell short in the match, has drawn criticism from many observers, including Samir Nasri. Speaking on the Canal Champions Club show on Canal+, the former French playmaker didn’t hold back his disappointment with the capital club’s display as they aim for the treble. “In terms of content, we’re left wanting more. The players who have been the strength of this Parisian team were less prominent. I found Vitinha a bit subdued.
Nuno Mendes, in my opinion, had a poor game, allowing Jadon Sancho to shine. Bradley Barcola also wasn’t at his best level. So, I think in terms of content, Paris wasn’t sharp enough,” analyzed the former Marseille player, before giving his perspective on the only goal of the match, scored by Niclas Füllkrug.
“The issue when playing with a high defense is that you need to press at the right moment and prevent those passes. The ball control is remarkable, he (Niclas Füllkrug) does it while running at full pace, which allows him not to lose speed. Then, he perfectly adjusts to Donnarumma. The goal is superb, nothing to say,” commented Samir Nasri.
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