Tuchel: 'My players are competitors'

Coach, how do you judge the first half of the Asia Summer Tour in Singapore?
“It was almost perfect. I said almost, because we lost to Arsenal and we got two injuries with Alec (Georgen) and Loïc (Mbe Soh), who both came off against Atlético de Madrid. But the rest has been exceptional. The conditions and facilities have been incredible, the weather was good in the evenings and the pitch was in very good condition throughout. The organisation was also perfect. Everything has come together for a magnificent training camp. I was expecting it to be tougher, but the players were perfectly focused, improved each and every day, they worked hard and the staff did a great job too. Overall, it’s been excellent.

You have worked with a lot of kids since the start of preseason. What have you seen?
“They have shown a lot of quality and have also improved a lot. More than we expected. We played two matches at the Ooredoo Training Centre to see what level they were at. To see what they did against Atlético de Madrid is incredible! And it’s a great reward for all the hard work done by everyone. They have all showed such commitment and desire and all the coaches are very happy. But it’s only the beginning. We have to keep our feet on the ground and stay humble, keep working hard and always keep improving.”

The team spirit is right there, as we saw with the celebration after Postolachi’s goal...
Absolutely. Team spirit is not something you can just tell the players to have. The way a team celebrated that goal at the end of the match was a very good sign, it was great to see, great to experience…”

A number of the internationals have returned… Marquinhos, Di Maria, Neymar Jr... How has that been?
“Really good. Very friendly! They have travelled a long way to get here in China. But we are very happy to welcome them to the squad. They are all great players, very talented and I am very happy to have them with us. But we also have to look after them and we will have everything tailored to their needs and won’t be taking any risks, or rushing anyone back.”

We have seen just popular Paris Saint-Germain is in Singapore and it’s the same here in China…
“Exactly. It’s very important because it gives us a lot of energy and the players love meeting their fans. But we also need to work in calm, amongst ourselves, but the time we spend with the fans is also important. Their support brings us much happiness, it motivates us to give us our best on the pitch and give back the passion we receive from our fans around the world.”

What can we expect from the Trophée des Champions?
“We want to win. Our objective is to win every possible trophy this season. We do this job to win. But I won’t be taking any risks with the players’ health. I don’t want to put any pressure on them if they are not ready. It has been a difficult match to prepare. We have played a few friendly matches, but I have confidence in my players. They are competitors that know what it means to play in these big games. I know that everyone here is ready for try and win the trophy. When you play for Paris Saint-Germain, you play to win trophies.”