Football
ESPN staff 10y

Laurent Blanc: PSG switched off


Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc was left feeling frustrated and let down by some of his players after a scrappy 2-1 win against Bayer Leverkusen sealed a Champions League quarter-final slot for the second straight season.

PSG made a poor start and midfielder Sidney Sam gave Leverkusen a flicker of hope with a well taken goal after six minutes.

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Although PSG rallied, Blanc felt his team had switched off after the first leg, which PSG won 4-0 for a crushing 6-1 aggregate win.

"It's all well and good saying to the players 'forget the first game' but it's true that subconsciously you tell yourself you've got a bit of a cushion," Blanc said.

"But there were players out there who don't play that much and you have to show your best level. The Champions League is a level above and I was expecting more from my team."

#INSERT type:image caption:PSG won on Wednesday, but Laurent Blanc said he was disappointed in his team. END#

With Blanc resting several players, midfielders Yohan Cabaye, Adrien Rabiot and Javier Pastore were given starts, while Marquinhos replaced countryman Alex in central defense. Christophe Jallet stepped in for the injured Gregory van der Wiel at right back.

Given a chance to shine, Pastore was disappointing.

"We didn't play very well. I was expecting a bit more. But the essential thing is that we're through," Blanc said. "You could put it down to a lack of experience or a lack of preparation, yet we did prepare the match properly."

Still, he remains optimistic that his team can contend for the trophy.

"I think since last year our opponents fear us more and more," Blanc said. "We're seen as a club that can go very far in this competition. We're not going to content ourselves with reaching the quarterfinals.''

Blanc praised goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu as his team's best player on Wednesday, but Ezequiel Lavezzi's play also drew rave reviews,

"Something's clicked with him," Blanc said. "I told him 'You're scoring a goal a game for us. Keep going!' Of course it's great for him, but also for us."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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