Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel says the capital club are capable of winning the Champions League for the first time, while acknowledging difficulties including the departure of club record scorer Edinson Cavani.
Speaking on Friday in the week his players resumed training, the German coach said: "We are capable of winning the Champions League. It's a tournament. I am convinced we will be very strong. Will we miss Cavani and Thomas Meunier? Yes. They played an important part in creating our spirit and helping us into the quarter-finals. We played with Edi, with Tanguy Kouassi, and always with Thomas."
Both Meunier and Cavani have elected to move on at the end of their contracts, with Belgian right-back Meunier having agreed to join Borussia Dortmund, Tuchel's former club, whom PSG beat in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. PSG have, however, reached an agreement for club captain Thiago Silva and left-back Layvin Kurzawa to stay at the club through the two domestic Cup finals to be played in late July and the Champions League the following month.
"We could win three trophies in five matches"
Tuchel commented: "Since the first day with Thiago it has been a pleasure to be his coach and that will not change. I am sure of that. He's a superb professional and he'll be our captain through until the end… He's not an ordinary player. We must make the most of his last two months with us. We have a relationship based on confidence. He is supremely reliable. We could win three trophies in five matches with him and I'm happy he'll be here for two months more."
With his charges due to resume full squad training next week, Tuchel faces a race against time in order to get his players ready for the Coupe de France final against Saint-Etienne on July 24 and the Coupe de la Ligue final against Olympique Lyonnais the following week, as well as for the Final 8 of the Champions League.
"No team has ever done this"
Tuchel commented: "We've got six weeks to prepare for the Champions League. Today we wouldn't be ready but then what is important is the preparation phase that will allow us to be in the right physical and mental shape in order to win the two finals of the domestic Cup competitions. We'll then have another two weeks after the second final in order to prepare for the quarters of the Champions League. We must be very attentive during the next four-and-a-half weeks. No team has ever done this. We need to find solutions as that's our job."