‘They have not done their job and they have lost the game’: Joe Hart slams PSG’s wall for crumbling during Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick… while Joleon Lescott hits out at the defenders for not taking responsibility and blocking Man City’s winning effort
PSG‘s crumbling wall has come under scrutiny following Riyad Mahrez‘s winner for Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
City stunned PSG in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie in Paris, turning around a 1-0 deficit thanks to second half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Mahrez.
And while City and Mahrez in particular will take home the glory following his late winner, PSG’s wall has come in for immense criticism for the role it played in the all-important goal.
Riyad Mahrez’s winning free-kick went through PSG’s crumbling wall on Wednesday night
The free-kick went through the gap between Presnel Kimpembe and Leandro Paredes
Mahrez’s rather tame free-kick somehow found its way through Presnel Kimpembe and Leandro Paredes, with the PSG duo seeming to jump sideways rather than deal with it head on.
And Joe Hart was quick to slam PSG’s defending in the wall, admitting the defenders simply didn’t do their job when the team needed them the most.
Following the full-time whistle, former City and now Tottenham goalkeeper Hart said on BT Sport: ‘That is a huge moment [Mahrez’s goal].
‘Natural instinct is to move out the way but you have to fight that on the pitch. They have not done their job and they have lost the game.
Mahrez celebrates his winning goal for Manchester City at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday
‘They have let human nature come in and not stood up for their team. It is almost impossible to save it.
‘You know from the trajectory of ball you can breathe sigh of relief as it is hitting wall. But his [Navas’] reaction time is almost none. He would presume it was being dealt with.’
Meanwhile, Hart’s former City team-mate Lescott also slammed PSG’s wall for not doing its job in the heat of the moment – while Owen Hargreaves said the ball should ‘never have made it to the goal’.
Lescott added: ‘It is poor defending. They turned their back, you can argue it’s slightly fortunate. There is no blame on the goalkeeper as the wall has responsibility to block it.’
Joe Hart and Joleon Lescott hit out at the PSG wall for not doing its job late on in Paris
PSG got off to the perfect start in the Champions League semi-final tie, with Marquinhos putting the Parisians in front thanks to an emphatic header from Angel Di Maria’s corner in the 15th minute.
However, City fought back ever so impressively in the second half, with De Bruyne’s in-swinging cross somehow ending up in the back of PSG’s net before Mahrez scored the winner from the free kick.
Then it got a whole lot worse for Pochettino as Idrissa Gueye was shown a straight red card for a nasty challenge on Ilkay Gundogan, leaving PSG with it all to do next week at the Etihad to book their place in the Champions League final.