Bundesliga

Liveticker | Schedule | table

When referee Kuipers showed a yellow card at 1-1 (1-0) at the Stadio San Paolo in Napoli in injury time Neymar, memories of the so disappointing for the Brazilian 2018 World Cup high. Neymar, the man for the theatricality in Russia, had made a private feud with Kuipers in the second group match, did not feel well protected throughout the tournament and had only partially flashed his genius.

In the fourth group match of the Champions League against SSC Naples (here it comes to the results) delivered Neymar a strong first half, was involved in almost all the dangerous actions of Paris Saint-Germain and led his team to a deserved half-time lead. But after the break, he let the joy of playing take. From more aggressive Napoli players, but also from Kuipers, who misjudged three situations in Neymar's eyes. Neymar had to be pulled away by teammate Kylian Mbappé once, after his warning, he sneered applause.

The PSG dilemma has several facets, Neymar is not insignificant. If the dribbler often sought after by his teammates plays a major role, the team is hard to stop, as the twelve victories in twelve matches in Ligue 1 show. But Neymar alone will not win the Champions League ambitious club from Qatar. But this is the stated goal of club boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

How's Financial Fair Play going?

In recent years, PSG never got beyond the quarter-finals in the Champions League. What was considered a disappointment per se was crucially important to the strong opponents, to whom Paris was often hit very early. Yes, there are four or five teams in the premier class who are similar or even better qualified and also want to win. The Champions League title is not conquered but in the storm on the transfer market.

photo gallery


8 pictures

Champions League: annoyed in Naples

Now comes on the Parisians, or the Qataris, with the Football Leaks search another problem. As SPIEGEL and its partners in the research network European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) have shown, PSG has been raised to billions of euros against the rules of financial fair play to become an international top club - with the help of today's Fifa President Gianni Infantino. (The whole story on MIRROR +).

Whether and what consequences threaten, is not clear, but whether the Uefa future further transfers in Neymar dimensions (222 million euros) approved, the European Football Association should think twice. Especially since PSG is under surveillance anyway and only a few days ago at Cas complaint against further Uefa investigations has submitted.

Tuchel would have liked to buy differently

Coach Thomas Tuchel stands in this difficult situation and knows about the goals of his bosses. But he also knows about the weak points in his team. Nevertheless, Tuchel comes - at least as far as votes from Germany - after any poor result almost reflexively under pressure, although Al-Khelaifi since the acquisition in 2011 so far has not dismissed one of his coaches after only one year.

In Paris, however, sports director Antero Henrique questioned, which is responsible for the composition of the current squad. Tuchel wanted a sturdy six and reinforcements for the save; because Henrique did not deliver, instead, Juan Bernat and Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting were signed on the last day of the transfer window.

Since then, the cooperation between Tuchel and Henrique should be kept to a minimum. And since the sporting director also has to answer for the missing contract extension with Adrien Rabiot, Al-Khelaifi is according to French media on Tuchel's side.

Should PSG (5 points) actually drop out in the difficult group with Napoli (6) and Liverpool (6), Tuchel's mission to Paris will not be over automatically. Nevertheless, he will have imagined the possibilities differently. The current squad has too many vulnerabilities and further financial debauchery is uncertain. An upcoming Champions League winner looks different.

SSC Naples - Paris Saint-Germain 1: 1 (0: 1)
0: 1 Bernat (45. + 2)
1: 1 Insignia (63./Elfmeter)
Napoli : Ospina - Maksimovic (76th Hysaj), Albiol, Koulibaly, Rui - Callejón, Allan, Hamsik, Ruiz (71st Zielinski) - Mertens (83rd Ounas), Insigne
PSG : Buffon - Marquinhos, Silva, Kehrer (90th + 4 Choupo-Moting) - Meunier (73rd Kimpembe), di María (77th Cavani), Verratti, Draxler, Bernat - Neymar, Mbappé
Referee : Kuipers
Yellow cards : Ruiz / Mbappé, Kehrer, Verratti, Neymar
Spectators : 55,489