Tuchel's plan: Verratti is the core, PSG will play three defenders

The Asian tour is where coach Tuchel sketches more PSG shape next season. The defending champion Ligue 1 will switch to three defenders. At the top, midfielder Marco Verratti will play a big role.

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Tuchel's plan: Verratti is the core, PSG will play three defenders
Switch to 3 defenders
At the first rehearsal in Singapore (25 July), Thomas Tuchel allowed the press to work. This is the first time the PSG manager has opened the door to the press. In other words, Tuchel was ready to introduce the face of PSG when everything was shaping up. It is a diagram of three defenders Tuchel continued to practice in training sessions in Southeast Asia. That means PSG will play 3-5-2 in two big games ahead of Arsenal (28/7) and Monaco (4/8, French Super Cup). 4-3-3 of last season looked back to the past.

In fact, PSG has played three friendly matches before with the new map. Despite winning only one (2 losses), Tuchel has the belief that his favorite scheme will work well with PSG's plentiful cast. Remembering the last season leading up to Dortmund (2016/17), the German coach pulled the Ruhr team out of crisis by switching from four defenders to three defenders.

PSG's move to three-center guards was the reason Tuchel decided to buy Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng. At present, he temporarily pushed General Lassana Diarra down the bottom stone. Of course, Tuchel is not rigid with a single diagram. But this is the moment he is helping the PSG players to adapt to the three defenders.

Verratti will be the nucleus of PSG's gameplay thanks to its dynamic and intelligent ball handling
Verratti will be the nucleus of PSG's gameplay thanks to its dynamic and intelligent ball handling

Nuclear Verratti
During rehearsals in Singapore, Tuchel focused intensely on Verratti. Former coach Dortmund clung to the Italian midfielder in each phase of the process, constantly approaching reminders of how to move, coordinate. That is the strictness that Tuchel is not for other PSG players. Verratti is the nucleus in the play that the 44-year-old strategist created for PSG. Tuchel needs a dynamic midfield, intelligent ball handling and can be transformed from defense to attack the fastest. Verratti promised to do better than anyone else.

Under coaches like Carlo Ancelotti, Laurent Blanc or Unai Emery, Verratti played just fine, but not explosive compared to expectations. Even the 25-year-old feels like it's over. But with Tuchel, Verratti could even go higher. The German captain is very good at promoting the potential of his students, such as exploring Ousmane Dembele, sharpening Raphael Guerreiro or pushing Marc Bartra over Barcelona.

Tuchel's biggest moment is not a tactical or a tactic, but the prestige he creates in the new environment. The players are submissive to Tuchel even with strict requirements such as practicing sunny noon after a 13-hour flight from Paris to Singapore. Tuchel is in charge of dressing room faster than expected. Of course, Neymar has not yet joined the army. But the atmosphere in PSG is a good launch pad for the former manager of Dortmund.

Neymar may be absent from the French Super Cup

Neymar and the Brazilian will travel to Singapore to join PSG on July 31. Then, the team will move to Shenzhen to play the French Super Cup with Monaco (4/8). However, according to L'Equipe, Neymar is unlikely to be on tour in Asia. Brazilian star can stay in Paris to recover. One thing is certain: Neymar will kick off the Ligue 1 start of 2018/19 against Caen on 12 August.