Tuchel sees PSG pair Neymar and Mbappe starting to click again

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Thomas Tuchel believes star duo Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are starting to excel alongside one another on the field again.

PSG secured a 3-1 win over Montpellier on Saturday, with Brazil’s Neymar and France’s Mbappe each on target as they combined effectively for the Ligue 1 champions.

Both players have suffered with injury problems this season, restricting their playing time together, but Tuchel sees the pair getting back on track.

“It’s not easy for them both,” Tuchel told Canal+. “They have both been away and are only now starting to really play together this season. 

“It was hard for Kylian to play long minutes, while Neymar, who has more experience, responded very well in this difficult atmosphere. In the end, they made us win the match, right?”

Neymar’s goal was a stunning free-kick, and the former Barcelona man revealed he had expected to find the net from a dead-ball opportunity.

“Before the match, I was told that I was going to score on a free-kick,” Neymar said. “So I’m happy to have scored this nice goal, which was important for the team.

“It was a very complicated match. We had a good second half which allowed us to go for an important victory.”

30 – Paris have used 30 different players in Ligue 1 this season more than any other team in the Top 5 European leagues in 2019/20. PatchUp. #MHSCPSG pic.twitter.com/mfLXD5N09T

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) December 7, 2019

Victory strengthened PSG’s grip on top spot in Ligue 1, moving eight points clear of second-placed Marseille ahead of their game against Bordeaux on Sunday.

Tuchel praised his players for handling an intimidating home support and difficult playing surface at Montpellier.

He added: “It was a great victory, a good game. It’s really hard to win here on a horrible pitch in a very hostile atmosphere.

“They put in a lot of intensity, but we responded by showing quality. We also put in intensity for 90 minutes, and it was necessary because, at the end, it became difficult for them to run.

“We gave the answer with our quality and mentality. We remained calm. It was an extraordinary match, a great victory deserved, and congratulations to my team.”