The big question mark before the Champions League finals tournament was whether teams with a lot of rest or those in full swing would do better in Lisbon.
In the end, the four semi-finalists are from Germany and France, who had more time to prepare for the task than their rivals from Italy, England and Spain.
In the case of France, there was huge uncertainty because Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyon came to Portugal having played just two games each since March.
Lyon’s next opponent Bayern Munich had a month off between winning the German Cup on July 4 and then crushing Chelsea 4-1 in the last 16 on August 8, while PSG’s semi-final opponents RB Leipzig came to Lisbon having not played since the June 27 Bundesliga finale.
The English Premier League meanwhile only ended on July 19, Spain’s La Liga on July 26 and Italy’s Serie A on August 2. All three leagues also had plenty of mid-week rounds in a gruelling finale.
The French league was first suspended and then abandoned because of the coronavirus. PSG only returned on July 24 to beat Saint-Etienne in the French Cup final and then prevailed over Lyon a week later on penalties for the League Cup trophy.
Lyon for their part played their last-16 second leg at Juventus on August 7 to make it to Lisbon, where they advanced into the last four 3-1 against Manchester City after PSG sealed a late 2-1 comeback win over Atalanta.
“We adapted to the Ligue 1 suspension and had two months of pre-season training. The fitness coach found the perfect solutions,” Lyon coach Rudi Garcia said.
PSG match-winner Eric Maxim Choupo Moting said: “Since the end of the lockdown, we’ve all been very focused and we have trained hard for that.
“We won the two cups and we went through some big moments on and off the pitch. And it’s thanks to those moments that we are here today.” Spending more time together than usual without matches also helped team building, with PSG’s Ander Herrera saying: “Everyone wants the same thing and is pulling in the same direction.”
Superstar Neymar, who just 12 months ago appeared dead set on a return to Barcelona, spoke of a “victory for the trophy cabinet” as he also praised the team effort.
Leipzig sporting director Markus Kroesche was undecided before their last-eight win over Atletico Madrid whether their break was good for them or not while others kept their rhythm. But the team looked faster and fresher than Atletico, with coach Julian Nagelsmann also among those highlighting that the one-legged format helps less experienced sides like his prevail.
Bayern have meanwhile shown that no break can stop them as they are unbeaten in 28 games since December, winning 27 of them and all 13 since the German restart in mid-May.
Coach Hansi Flick welcomed the break in July and a few days of training on Portugal’s Algarve coast after beating Chelsea rounded off the preparations. They then hammered Barcelona 8-2 to confirm their status as top favourites.
“I feel like we’re fully charged. We have worked hard and are well prepared,” captain Manuel Neuer said even before the Chelsea game.
SOURCE
GNA
