UEFA Champions League 2019/20: RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain – tactical analysis

Estádio da Luz witnessed history last Tuesday. The Lisbon-based stadium hosted the UEFA Champions League semi-final which brought together RasenBallsport Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain. This was RB Leipzig’s first-ever taste of the semi-final, while for Paris this was only their second time since 1996.

The match provided a tight tactical battle from both managers. Both teams cancelled each other at times, but Paris eventually got the ticket to the final after a convincing three-goal victory. Interestingly, none of their goals came from open plays. So, how did they unlock RB Leipzig’s defence? This tactical analysis will inform you about that.

Lineups

Julian Nagelsmann chose 4–1–4–1 as his go-to formation in this game. However, Leipzig’s structure wasn’t rigid as it varied from time to time depending on the team’s need at that moment, we will dig deeper about that later. In the 4–1–4–1, the duo of Dayot Upamecano and Lukas Klostermann started in front of former Liverpool goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi. Up front, Yussuf Poulsen was supported by the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Konrad Laimer. Finally, Leipzig’s bench was filled with players like Willi Orban, Emil Forsberg, Tyler Adams, Patrik Schick, and Marcel Halstenberg.

In the opposite side, Thomas Tuchel opted for 4–3–3. Sergio Rico replaced the former Real Madrid goalie Keylor Navas in between the sticks, due to the latter’s hamstring injury. In front of him, Thiago Silva and Presnel Kimpembe were chosen as the centre-back pairing. Talisman Neymar led the frontline alongside Kylian Mbappé and Ángel Di María. Names like Marco Verratti, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Pablo Sarabia, and Julian Draxler had to start the game from the bench.