Thomas Tuchel slams his PSG players for thinking they were 4-0 up at half-time as a ‘catastrophic’ second-half showing from the French champions gave Cesc Fabregas-inspired Monaco a 3-2 win on Friday night
- PSG surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Niko Kovac’s Monaco on Friday
- Thomas Tuchel’s side led thanks to a first-half brace from striker Kylian Mbappe
- But a Kevin Volland brace and Cesc Fabregas’ penalty gave Monaco the win
- Tuchel described his side’s second-half showing in the defeat as ‘catastrophic’
PSG manager Thomas Tuchel described his side’s second-half display in their shock 3-2 defeat to Monaco on Friday night as ‘catastrophic’ but accepts the criticism on himself.
The French champions led 2-0 at half-time thanks to a brace from Kylian Mbappe, while PSG had two more first-half goals ruled out by VAR.
But Monaco launched a surprise second-half comeback thanks to two goals from Kevin Volland, before Cesc Fabregas’ late penalty from a defensive error from Abdou Diallo completed the comeback.
Thomas Tuchel (left) slammed PSG’s second-half display in their 3-2 loss to Monaco on Friday
The French champions surrendered a two-goal lead at half-time to lose 3-2 to Niko Kovac’s side
Tuchel told Telefoot in his post-match interview: ‘Catastrophic? Yes, the second half. We controlled the game, we scored two goals, and we could have scored two more. The third was onside. We had opportunities.
‘In the second half, we didn’t have the same concentration. We weren’t serious enough. We didn’t recover the ball with the same quality, and we didn’t seriously defend.
‘We are completely responsible for this defeat, when the match was almost over in our favour.
‘They (the players) felt it was 3-0 or 4-0 when it was only 2-0. I have no explanation. I have to accept all the criticism, because we have completely stopped playing, and we haven’t done what is necessary to win.’
Tuchel (far left) described his side’s showing after half-time as ‘catastrophic’
PSG started the match well and took the lead through a quick counter-attack led by the speedy Mbappe, before the French forward converted a penalty after Rafinha was fouled by Youssouf Fofana in the area.
Moise Kean thought he had given PSG a three-goal lead later in the half but his effort was chalked off by VAR for offside, which was also the reason given by the video technology to deny Mbappe a first-half hat-trick.
The introduction of former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Fabregas at half-time was instrumental as he registered a goal and an assist in Monaco’s unlikely comeback.
PSG had a two-goal lead at the break thanks to a brace from Kylian Mbappe (above)
Monaco’s Kevin Volland (right) scored twice before Cesc Fabregas (left) netted the winner
Volland hit a close-range effort just minutes into the half while Fabregas then teed up the German to level the match.
PSG’s Diallo then gave the ball away to Volland in the penalty area six minutes from injury-time which forced the defender to give Niko Kovac’s side a late penalty which Fabregas fired into the top corner.
Fellow PSG defender Prisnel Kimpembe, who captained the side on Friday night, said: ‘We had a catastrophic second half, even unacceptable.
‘We don’t have the right to have a half like that with the team we have.’
PSG captain Presnel Kimpembe also used the term ‘catastrophic’ to describe PSG’s loss
The defeat was PSG’s first in nine matches with Tuchel’s side enjoying a eight-match winning run in Ligue 1 before Friday night after losing their opening two matches of the season.
Monaco have moved into second-place, four points behind PSG having played the same amount of games.
Lille can cut the gap to two points if they beat Lorient at home on Sunday while Marseille can move level on points with the French champions if they win their two games in hand over Tuchel’s side.
