Thomas Tuchel said:
"It was not spontaneous. We talked about it with the goalkeepers when we came in the first cup game against Barnsley.
"We had some statistics. We were well prepared that Kepa Arrizabalaga has the best percentage at saving penalties. The analyzing guys, the goalkeeper coaches showed me and introduced me to the data and then we spoke to the players and told them it could happen in cup games. We spoke to the players and Édouard Mendy was fantastic. We do what we need to do for the team."
Lionel Messi’s Quote:
“You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it.”
Diego Maradona’s Quote:
“When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success.”
AnyWho!
It’s also GREAT NEWS that PSG now has Lionel Messi on the team, but Chelsea FC’s current squad with Romelu Lukaku can stop PSG - where it matters.
Football - The World’s Greatest Game!
The connection between PEOPLE & FOOTBALL remains one of the unknown mysteries on the planet.
Lionel Messi - Hero's Welcome by PSG Football Fans!
HERO’S WELCOME means enthusiastic reception from a group of people who show their admiration for something good that you have done.
Six-time Ballon d'Or winner from Barcelona after 17-years of a professional career - phenomenal affection from the people of Paris, France.
Reflecting on what PSG has done by getting Lionel Messi - let’s not kid ourselves, I strongly agree with George Orwell, he was right - “Football is WAR minus the shooting”.
Terry Pratchett also wrote:
“The thing about football – the important thing about football – is that it is not just about football.”
How much “Jinger” can PSG create with this action?
“Jinger” in Nigerian Pidgin English means inspiration, enthusiasm, hype e.t.c.
Many PSG rivals and football fans are really intimidated now! Jinga 진짜 in Korean also means - really, very, truly.
PSG fans now chanting Charles de Gaulle’s words to inspire and comfort Messi: “Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so.”
Additional wit from Jean-Paul Sartre:
"In football, everything is complicated by the presence of the opposite team.”
Of course, they recalled the last encounter - PSG vs Manchester City. The UEFA Champions League Semi-Final (Leg 1 of 2) match, played on the 28th April 2021 at Parc des Princes stadium.
Parc des Princes football stadium is located in the southwestern part of the French capital, with a seating capacity of about 47,929 spectators, this stadium has been the home of Paris Saint-Germain since 1974.
The synopsis above is aimed to give you context, the confidence, might, and support PSG had in that game - PSG had everyone’s attention, I mean all the great and passionate fans, perhaps even with the Guardian Angels behind the French Ligue 1, I believe.
As many of you know, the game started with a somewhat similar accolade or “Jinger”, just like getting the Argentinian footballer - Lionel Messi, who is regarded by many as one of the GOATs - Greatest players Of All Time.
It was evident, the strength and might of Kevin De Bruyner’s gameplays were the triggers to defeat PSG, the match ended 2 - 1 in favor of Manchester City.
Well, that does not sound balanced - right? De Bruyner alone couldn’t have done it. But everyone saw that game, PSG scoring first in the 15th minute (Marquinhos). The resilience of City’s play in the 64th minute, with strong perseverance and consistent effort from the Belgian, Kevin De Bruyner (former Chelsea FC player 2012 - 2014) balanced the scale with a tricky-fluke shot, and of course, Riyad Mahrez ceiling the victory with the second goal in the 71st minute. PSG lost control, Idrissa Gueye’s red card came in at the 77th minute. Remember City also led with Ball Possessions 60%, Completed Passes 677, and even Passes Accuracy 92% over PSG.
Arnold H. Glasow (1905 – 1998, former American humorist) Quote:
“In life, as in football, you won’t go far unless you know where the goalposts are.”
Hmm! are you now saying the presence of Lionel Messi will not impact PSG’s new game plan?
No, that’s NOT the point!
This write-up is aimed to give other football clubs and fans hope, confidence, and reassure them they can also make heaven perhaps, they might have to become a Chelsea FC fan first - Lol
Sounds funny, but TRUE!
Some of us are familiar with the words of Gary Lineker:
“Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win.”
Yes, undisputed no one can ignore the message of “the German” Thomas Tuchel (TT), the 47 years old German conqueror, currently the head coach of Chelsea FC with the growing trophies:
1x UEFA Super Cup Winner
1x Champions League Winner
2x French Champion
1x French League Cup Winner
2x French Super Cup Winner
1x German Cup Winner
1x French Cup Winner
2x German Under-19 Bundesliga Champion
Chelsea FC is fairly balanced and secured at the moment, looking at fans’ confidence - and of course with the addition of Romelu Lukaku.
Thomas Tuchel understands the French football league (Ligue 1), and remember - relatively he understands PSG too! - maybe “PSG” without the presence of Lionel Messi in the new equation.
Do the MATH - The impact equivalent of injecting a legendary player like Lionel Messi into a great team like PSG is about the same effect, or directly proportional to Chelsea getting the Belgian striker from Italy's (Serie A) Inter Milan, Romelu Menama Lukaku Bolingoli, added to the new Chelsea FC squad. Lol...
Wait, are you now comparing Romelu Lukaku with Lionel Messi?
Don’t fight it - Remember the similar case of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo when he moved to Juventus.
This was Ronaldo’s profile prior to Juventus:
“Cristiano Ronaldo has won five Champions League titles in his career, including one with Manchester United”, and here is the Sky Sports reference and caption -
“Cristiano Ronaldo backs Juventus to win Champions League within two years”
A more emphatic caption: “Cristiano Ronaldo is confident Juventus will win the Champions League soon and end their 23-year drought in Europe's elite competition.”
For clarification purposes:
I believe Messi will be successful at PSG - scoring historic goals, and playing alongside other outstanding players like:
Gianluigi Donnarumma, Keylor Navas, Sergio Rico, Alexandre Letellier, Denis Franchi , Marquinhos, Presnel, Kimpembe , Abdou Diallo, Thilo Kehrer, Sergio Ramos, El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Juan Bernat, Layvin Kurzawa, Achraf Hakimi, Colin Dagba, Leandro, Paredes, Danilo Pereira, Idrissa Gueye, Marco Verratti, Georginio Wijnaldum, Rafinha, Ander Herrera, Junior Dina Ebimbe, Xavi Simons, Bandiougou Fadiga, Edouard Michut, Ismaël Gharbi, Neymar, Julian Draxler, Pablo Sarabia, Ángel Di María, Kylian Mbappé, Mauro Icardi, Arnaud Kalimuendo e.t.c.
I personally think TT’s decision for Lukaku is top-notch, aimed to win more trophies, and grounded enough to defend her Champions League title.
Romelu Lukaku is a special footballer, not because he buried the hatchet with Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he said "we need players of this level in Serie A".
No, that’s like saying Neymar’s gesture towards Messi regarding the No.10 shirt sacrifice offered made him special - and Messi also dramatizing the response by rejecting the shirt and deciding to choose another number - No, this can’t be the precedent for the definition of “special”.
Everyone knows Neymar and Messi are great friends who spent four years together playing at Barcelona.
Reading this recently - Romelu Lukaku’s £97m Chelsea return makes him football’s most expensive player with combined transfers ahead of Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Antoine Griezmann.
Source -
Another headline reads - Lukaku, Neymar, Ronaldo: The top 10 players with the highest combined transfer fees
Source -
Now imagine TT’s new game plan integrating Lukaku with the Champions League Winner’s squad:
Antonio Rüdiger, Andreas Christensen, Thiago Silva, Kurt Zouma, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, César Azpilicueta, Emerson, Jorginho, N'Golo Kanté, Christian Pulisic, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcos Alonso, Édouard Mendy e.t.c.
Ending with the words of Eduardo Hughes Galeano:
“In his life, a man can change wives, political parties or religions but he cannot change his favorite soccer team.”
Thank you.
Aderogba Otunla
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