Tuchel doesn´t fear for PSG job after Leipzig loss

Thomas Tuchel does not feel his job as Paris Saint-Germain coach is in danger after they slumped to a 2-1 loss against RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

PSG led early at Red Bull Arena through Angel Di Maria’s close-range strike, but they fell apart after the Argentina international missed a first-half penalty.

Former PSG midfielder Christopher Nkunku levelled before half-time and an Emil Forsberg penalty completed the turnaround in a game that then saw Idrissa Gueye and Presnel Kimpembe sent off for the visitors.

With back-to-back defeats in Group H, PSG are three points behind leaders Manchester United and Leipzig, leaving last season’s finalists facing a significant challenge to progress to the 2020-21 knockout stages.

But Tuchel rejected talk of his position being under threat and any notion that tension between him and sporting director Leonardo is affecting performances.

He told RMC of the contest: “It was difficult, maybe it’s our fault because we didn’t score the second goal and we made a mistake on the penalty spot.

“Then it’s difficult at 10 [men], there are too many decisive situations against us, it’s too much because the opposition is strong.

“No, I don’t feel in danger. The situation between Leo and me? It has no impact on the pitch at all.

3 – Paris have picked up only three points in their first three UCL group stage games, the co-lowest total in their history in the competition with 1997/98 and 2004/05, the only two seasons in which they failed to emerge from the first group stage in the C1. Demobilised. #RBLPSG pic.twitter.com/hF3RwT7sfv

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 4, 2020

“We played a team that was leading the Bundesliga a week ago, who are very strong, who play a good game, and we could have led 2-0.

“It was more difficult in the second half; we lack players, quality, pace.

“But the game was very close, and don’t forget that the goal difference matters, so if you win [the reverse fixture] 2-1 or 2-0 at the Parc [des Princes], you can go ahead. It’s still in our hands.

“I have the impression that the press, the environment is very critical, but that does not change my work with the team, nor with my staff.

“And that won’t change anything, it’s the life of a trainer in Paris, it’s never enough, I don’t have any problem. It’s the same group that is first in Ligue 1, we are together, there are difficult phases.

“We will try again and if we win at the Parc the situation will be totally reversed.”