RB Leipzig 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain: 5 Talking Points as PSG cruise into UCL Final | UEFA Champions League 2019-20
Goals from Marquinhos, Angel di Maria and Juan Bernat helped PSG reach their first Champions League final with a comfortable 3-0 win against RB Leipzig.
Marquinhos, who scored against Atalanta in last week's last-gasp quarter-final victory, broke the deadlock with a well-placed header into the bottom corner.
That was 12 minutes into an encounter Thomas Tuchel's men dominated for sustained periods, as Neymar hit the post and Kylian Mbappe had a goal disallowed shortly beforehand.
Peter Gulacsi was at fault for PSG's second, dithering in possession before fizzing the ball into Leandro Paredes' path.
He gleefully pounced, swinging a crossfield pass into the area to find Neymar. The Brazilian's backheel teed up di Maria, who marked his return from suspension with a cool finish and more besides.
It was the Argentine's brilliant pass which teed up Bernat for their third strike of the evening. The goal was reviewed by VAR and ultimately stood, as Nordi Mukiele's costly slip in possession kept the fullback onside, allowing him to head past Gulacsi.
There were chances galore for PSG, who could have easily emulated Bayern's 8-2 win over Barcelona had they been more clinical, but they'll be hoping to save their world-class finishing for Sunday's showpiece event in Lisbon.
PSG will play either Bundesliga champions Bayern or domestic rivals Lyon this weekend, though this ended up being a welcome display for a side constantly criticised for stumbling under pressure in European competition.
With a hard-earned clean sheet and an extra day's recovery, there's plenty to be pleased about from PSG's perspective - ending RB Leipzig's unlikely route to UCL glory in the process.
Without further ado, here's a look at five talking points as PSG cruised to victory against a disappointing RB Leipzig side in Lisbon.
#5 Against former club PSG, Christopher Nkunku struggles big time
After spending nearly ten years in the PSG ranks, both as an academy player and then a first-team member, Christopher Nkunku had a point to prove here. He's flourished and been able to showcase his blossoming ability in the final third since departing last summer in a £11.7m move to Leipzig.
Besides Marcel Sabitzer and Timo Werner, who joined Chelsea last month, he was their best and most consistent performer in the Bundesliga this term.
He scored five goals and created 15 assists in 32 top-flight appearances, quickly establishing himself as a mainstay among Nagelsmann's creative plans. So this was always going to be an intriguing matchup against many of his former colleagues and friends from home.
Eager to haunt his boyhood club here, he did precisely the opposite and rather typified a frustrating end to a promising campaign for Leipzig on the whole.
He was presented with a few half-chances early on but failed to get clean contact on the ball nor earn much success. As PSG established their foothold in the game, his influence petered out rather unceremoniously down the flank and he was instead tasked with more defensive work off-the-ball.
With a two-goal deficit to overturn, Nagelsmann needed to make alterations at half-time and Nkunku was unsurprisingly one of two players replaced. What makes this display against PSG even more frustrating? The fact that this was in complete contrast to his Atletico performance last week.
There, he played 83 minutes: four key passes, worked tirelessly out of possession and was a constant threat against Simeone's men. Yet in this, the biggest game in their history, he went out with a whimper to PSG.
#4 The Mbappe-Neymar combination wasn't perfect, but did enough
After an impactful contribution from the substitutes bench in last week's Atalanta win, Mbappe started against Leipzig and immediately showed his dangerous combination play alongside Neymar in transition.
He should have had an assist after just six minutes, teeing up the Brazilian with a clever defence-splitting pass into the box. Just like he did against the Italians, Neymar spurned promising opportunities and toe-poked his eventual effort here, watching helplessly as it crashed off the far post.
Simply put, he should have scored. Minutes later, Mbappe had a goal correctly disallowed as Neymar handled Gulacsi's attempted kick forward - another warning sign Leipzig failed to heed before going a goal behind.
It seemed fitting that Neymar won the free-kick from which PSG broke the deadlock, skipping past Konrad Laimer before being bodychecked to the turf.
Gulacsi made a big save at point-blank range to deny Mbappe four minutes later after Ander Herrera's incisive pass and although replays showed he was marginally offside, you could conceivably predict a cricket score was on the cards.
Neymar was still eager to take players on at will, buying fouls and creating havoc that we've grown accustomed to seeing from him. With Mbappe in tow though, he had someone he could rely on in the final third - you can see he doesn't trust Sarabia or Icardi nearly as much.
He hit the woodwork again before half-time with an audacious free-kick which caught Gulacsi out at his near post, but should have done better after good work by Mbappe as Leipzig continued to relinquish possession in dangerous positions.
Mukiele's last-ditch intervention was key as Neymar weaved his way into the box, but Mbappe's intelligent movement created a reliable out ball with Marquinhos, Thiago Silva and Bernat all feeding him passes in transition from wide areas.
It was his great turn of pace to skip past two, drag another defender out wide which should have rewarded him with his third assist of the evening.
He found Neymar again and, frustratingly, the PSG superstar was again off-target - flashing wide from close-range. Mbappe wasn't faultless either: missing opportunities himself, after good work by di Maria and sloppy defending by a tiring Leipzig backline in the second half.
However, their evening was perhaps typified by what happened with 15 minutes to play. PSG had a two-on-one break with a retreating Angelino the last man back.
Mbappe-Neymar exchanged passes at precisely the wrong time, with the Frenchman's reverse pass slightly behind the Brazilian. The PSG man lost his footing and slipped just as they were edging towards the box, so the chance vanished just as quickly as it arrived.
Whether it's Bayern or Lyon in Sunday's final, the pair must be better with their finishing and link-up play if they're to win the ultimate club competition in Lisbon.
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