PARIS • Dani Alves jokes that Paris Saint-Germain are still Champions League "virgins", but the presence of players like the decorated Brazil defender only helps to make them more credible contenders to win their maiden European Cup.
In a glittering career, he has won the Champions League three times with Barcelona, while reaching another final with Juventus.
Alves is a veteran now, his 36th birthday falling several weeks before this season's final, but he is conscious of what players like him and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, 41, can add to a PSG squad comprising football's two most expensive players in Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
"We know how to win and how to lose. What we try to transmit to the others is that either we all go together in the same direction, or we leave the doors open to a defeat," Alves told Agence France-Presse.
He was speaking ahead of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at home to Manchester United today.
The mood is relaxed and confidence is high at the Parc des Princes as Thomas Tuchel's players seek to build on their 2-0 first-leg win last month, achieved without Neymar and Edinson Cavani.
While the former has been ruled out through injury and the latter might be fit to make only the bench, Alves believes PSG have proven they can cope with their absences.
"This is not a competition that depends on only one player having a spectacular day," he said.
"When you have experienced players, you don't tremble when it comes to playing in a hostile atmosphere, or under pressure."
In his debut campaign for the club last season, PSG were knocked out at this stage by Real Madrid, the first time Alves had not been involved in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in a decade.
It was a disappointment for the French champions and their Qatari owners, and talk had been rife over a divided dressing room, but Alves insisted there is an "incredible atmosphere" under Tuchel.
He said: "We are lucky this year to have a management team that is liked, respected by everyone. Everything has been put in place to make this a great year for us."
But, while PSG do not want to just get past United - they want to go beyond the last eight, something they have not managed since the Qatari takeover in 2011 - they are still haunted by the ghosts of their collapse at the Nou Camp two years ago despite winning the first leg 4-0.
Reflecting on that humiliation when they lost 6-1 to Barcelona in the second leg, Tuchel said: "It's not good to play with fear, but it's not good to play with too much confidence either.
"We have guys who played in Barcelona, who have that experience. We can't control the result, you never can in football, but we can control our performance."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
PSG V MAN UNITED
Singtel TV Ch110 & StarHub Ch214, tomorrow, 3.55am
Air accident investigators said on Monday they had found the wreckage of the missing aircraft carrying Premier League soccer player Emiliano Sala on the seabed near Guernsey and that a body was
Rescuers end search for plane carrying missing soccer star
Olivier Giroud vs Gonzalo Higuain - Chelsea must start serial final winner against Arsenal. Maurizio Sarri has a choice to make up front
Gonzalo Higuain: Chelsea will do very well next season if
The whole training session was open to media and so television cameras caught the incident, which does not bode well for Chelsea in the lead up to the match. Sarri's reaction came not long after
Top four chasing Chelsea cannot afford to lose at Manchester
Lionel Messi tells Ernesto Valverde to axe five Barcelona stars this summer - report LIONEL MESSI has told Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde to axe five first-team stars. The Catalans are flying
Chelsea News: Lionel Messi tells Ernesto Valverde to axe
The city must direct scarce housing resources to those who are most in need, and the eligibility process is designed to keep out all but the most needy families. The city shelter system is regulated by the state welfare department, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).
Zoning and PUDs - City of Round Rock
Arsenal manager Unai Emery has suggested that some players will have to leave the club following their 4-1 loss to Chelsea in the Europa League final in Baku. Denis Suarez is returning to his
Arsenal transfer news LIVE: Aubameyang to China, Fraser and
Few can say they could've predicted the sudden rise of the squad, although The Guardian certainly had a crack in 2008 when they posted their list of England's 20 future stars - who were all under
England are ready to fulfil the growing expectations, says
MIAMI (AFP) - Fifa moved a step closer on Friday (March 15) to expanding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams and hopes to confirm the plans in June if a suitable co-host can be found.. Read
World Cup Streaming
AD
fanical.com/Womens-World-Cup
Report Ad
US Women's World Cup. Women's Soccer Blogs, Forums & News
Sacked Puel says an 'honour' to manage Leicester. to work for the late and much-loved Khun Vichai, who gave me the fantastic opportunity to manage his club and share some great moments
Sacked Puel says an 'honour' to manage Leicester - Nairalovers
Report Ad
Free Shipping Available. Buy on eBay. Money Back Guarantee!
Jamie Carragher says Virgil van Dijk is the best centre-back in the world - but Lionel Messi remains his prediction for the Ballon d'Or. Van Dijk is among the favourites for the award and
Reds get back fear factor, says Van Dijk - msn.com
LONDON (AFP) - Liverpool powered back to the top of the Premier League as Xherdan Shaqiri inspired a 3-1 win over bitter rivals Manchester United, while Arsenal's 22-match unbeaten run was
Liverpool back on top as Shaqiri sinks United, Arsenal's
WOLVERHAMPTON: Wolverhampton Wanderers repeated their FA Cup defeat of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United thanks to a Chris Smalling own goal that gave them a 2-1 comeback win in a pulsating Premier League game on Tuesday.
Hungry Wolves beat 10-man Manchester United 2-1 - msn.com
Experienced Liverpool making a big statement, says Klopp "We have been together for a while, we needed to be more mature," Klopp said. "The boys made their own experience in this
Experienced Liverpool making a big statement, says Klopp
huffington-global.com/experienced-liverpool-making-a-big-statement-says-klopp/
Experienced Liverpool making a big statement, says Klopp. PORTO (Reuters) - Liverpool face a testing Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, but have made a statement by reaching the last four for the second straight year and are equipped to deal with the very best, manager Juergen Klopp said.
Football: Experienced Liverpool making a big statement, says
0 comments:
Post a Comment