Tuchel hails ´amazing´ Paris Saint-Germain as injury crisis worsens

Thomas Tuchel is delighted with the way Paris Saint-Germain are performing through an injury crisis as they lost three more players in Saturday’s win over Rennes.

PSG were already missing Neymar, Mauro Icardi, Marco Verratti and Julian Draxler and then saw Idrissa Gueye, Thilo Kehrer and Alessandro Florenzi all bow out before half-time at the Parc des Princes.

Angel Di Maria ensured the Ligue 1 champions claimed a 3-0 victory regardless, creating the opener for Moise Kean and then adding a double himself.

The three points provided some respite for the league leaders and coach Tuchel heading into the international break, and the coach took with the opportunity to defend his side’s display in a 2-1 reverse to RB Leipzig in the Champions League in midweek.

“The result is better, but we didn’t play better than Wednesday,” he told Canal+. “We had a great fight and the mentality was exceptional.

“The guys have been amazing despite the new injuries. I am very happy and proud. It’s one of the best wins since I’ve been here.”

On the team’s latest fitness setbacks, which saw Tuchel make two changes before the interval for the fifth time in Ligue 1, the coach added: “It was already too much before the game and it’s getting worse.

“We were playing with Kehrer, who wasn’t ready. It was the same thing for [Leandro] Paredes and [Ander] Herrera. It’s like that.”

5 – Paris have won five consecutive Ligue 1 games by at least a three-goal margin for the first time in its history in the top-flight (6-1 v Angers, 4-0 v Nîmes, 4-0 v Dijon, 3-0 v Nantes and 3-0 v Rennes). RoadRoller. pic.twitter.com/LKFkfGmdXU

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 7, 2020

Di Maria’s quality told as he scored with both of his shots on target, while creating three chances – more than any other PSG player.

“We try to do the best we can, but it’s not easy,” Di Maria said. “We can’t pretend nothing has happened.

“We didn’t have time to work after last season, there was COVID and many injuries, so it’s not easy.

“We still support Tuchel. He is a great coach, who led us to the final of the Champions League. He did the maximum for us, and we are giving the maximum for him.

“He has our full confidence, and he trusts us too.”

Rennes had more possession than their hosts and recorded 16 attempts to PSG’s nine, yet Keylor Navas was required to make only three saves.

Despite their selection issues, last season’s Champions League finals have won eight league games in a row, keeping seven clean sheets in the process.