PSG must accept Champions League ´accident´ – Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel said Paris Saint-Germain must swallow their Champions League grief and “bounce back like champions” in Ligue 1.

PSG visit Dijon on Tuesday for their first match since being dramatically dumped out of Europe by Manchester United last week.

Marcus Rashford scored a stoppage-time penalty for United to condemn Tuchel’s men to an away-goals defeat in the last 16 following a 3-3 draw on aggregate.

The 3-1 loss at Parc des Princes saw PSG, who triumphed 2-0 at Old Trafford, become the first side in Champions League history to lose a knockout tie after winning the first leg away from home by two or more goals.

“Everyone is upset,” PSG head coach Tuchel said.

“It’s difficult to analyse the match. I think it was an accident and there’s no logical explanation. We controlled the match, but the tension grew as the match wore on. 

“The first few days after the loss, the players don’t want to play, but they don’t have any choice. We have to finish the season.

Sunday’s training session at the Parc pic.twitter.com/lSaKkGSphL

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) March 10, 2019

“You have to know how to accept defeat and keep going. That’s sport.

“We have the chance to bounce back like champions, and that’s our challenge, for me and the coaching staff, to push the players each and every day. To play [on Tuesday] is the best medicine.”

PSG exited the Coupe de la Ligue in January but are 14 points clear in Ligue 1 and through to the semi-finals of the Coupe de France.

Tuchel insisted the Champions League failure had done nothing to dent his desire to lead the club to future glory.

“I want to stay here for a long time and enjoy success. I want to grow with the club, that’s absolutely clear,” he said.