Sometimes, the most expensive treasures gain value in their rarity. As it turns out, €400 million (Dh1.75 billion) does not buy that many minutes of premium-quality striking partnership.
When Kylian Mbappe and Neymar line up in the same starting XI for the Champions League final on Sunday it will be only the fourth time they have done so in the competition this season.
What with suspensions, and strained young muscles, Paris Saint-Germain have had to be patient to see the most expensive pairing of forwards in football history in glorious tandem on the grand stage. They needed still more more patience for the moment their mammoth, €1bn investment over the past nine years took them close to the prize they most desire.
In the end, the last step seemed a breeze. PSG are in a European Cup final for the first time after overwhelming RB Leipzig on Tuesday in Lisbon.
They got there with no trace of the brittle, nervous characteristics the Paris club have displayed in previous seasons in Europe’s knockout phases and they achieved their sought-after target with Neymar and Mbappe together for all but the last four minutes of normal time, when, 3-0 ahead, Mbappe was withdrawn to spare any complication of his recovery from the ankle injury he picked up in late July.
Neither of them scored against Leipzig, either, a fact that will perturb Thomas Tuchel, the head coach, very little.
“The players showed the hunger to win, to work together, to suffer together, and that’s what you benefit from,” said Tuchel, looking forward to what he called “the biggest night of my life in Lisbon this weekend.”
He has always stressed his PSG should be about a squad, not just two superstars, but he will still be happy to have Neymar and Mbappe relatively fresh, and seeking overdue goals.
Because of the pandemic, France’s Ligue 1 was abandoned in March, so in the past five months, PSG have played just four games, two domestic cup finals and two one-legged knockouts in the Champions League.
Not that there were too many symptoms of rustiness against Leipzig, the Germans effectively beaten by half time thanks to two slick routines, one with the stamp of streamlined rehearsal, the other via a touch of spontaneous, brimming confidence.
After Neymar had earned a free-kick early, Angel Di Maria’s superb delivery teed up a headed goal from Marquinhos, his markers undone by the precision of the Di Maria cross and the timing of the scorer’s run and leap; Di Maria then scored PSG’s second after he had been teed up by a delightful, airborne, intuitive Neymar flick.
It would be Di Maria’s night as much as Neymar’s, more than Mbappe’s. “We stuck to our principles, using the acceleration of Angel, Neymar and Mbappe,” said Tuchel, pleased with “the good mix of determination and quality.”
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PSG v Leipzig player ratings
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LEIPZIG RATINGS: Peter Gulacsi – 4. Let down by his footwork. He was spared early on when his clearance was ruled to have hit Neymar’s arm, but he gifted PSG a decisive second on the brink of the break. AFP -
Nordi Mukiele – 5. His side’s bench were up celebrating his early blockbusting tackle on Bernat as if they had scored. That was about as good as it got for him, though, and Bernat had the last laugh. AFP -
Dayot Upamecano – 6. The 21-year-old defensive prodigy will have plenty of better nights than this to look forward to. His side’s struggles here were scarcely his fault. AFP -
Lukas Klostermann – 7. His side might have been well beaten on the night, but at least he will be forever able to claim he beat Mbappe in a foot-race, as he did in the second phase. AP -
Konrad Laimer – 5. He gave away the free kick that led to the opener with a foul on Neymar. He was tireless in his running up the right flank, but was substituted immediately after being booked. AFP -
Marcel Sabitzer (right) – 6. Had the sight of goal – albeit from range – on a number of occasions but was unable to make them count. AFP -
Kevin Kampl – 5. Leipzig’s midfield screener was lucky his mistake did not lead to PSG doubling their early lead, and he was profligate in possession too often. Reuters -
Angelino – 5. The Manchester City loanee struggled to have any impact from his position on the left side. Getty -
Christopher Nkunku – 5. Frustrated in the opening exchanges, and was lucky not to be booked for a succession of fouls. Manager Julian Nagelsmann took him out of the firing line after 45 minutes. AP -
Yussuf Poulsen – 6. It was understandable that the captain, who played in Germany’s third tier during Leipzig’s rise, was irritable as he saw his Champions League dream die, but it did not help his side. AFP -
Dani Olmo – 4. Endured a miserable first half, the highlight of which was being fouled by Kimpembe, and was hooked at the interval. AP -
SUBSTITUTES: Emil Forsberg – 7. Provided some of the forward impetus that Leipzig required after being brought on at half time, but their chances were soon extinguished. Getty -
Patrik Schick – 7, His half-time introduction initially roused the German side, but Bernat’s goal took the wind from their sails. Getty -
Marcel Halstenberg – 6. Had little chance to make an impact, yet still managed to get booked for a dubious foul on Neymar. Reuters -
Tyler Adams – 6. At least showed some bite after his second-half introduction, but it was not enough to turn the tide. AFP -
Willi Orban – NA. Introduced so late. At least he can say he played in a Champions League semi-final. AP -
PSG RATINGS: Sergio Rico - 6. A Champions League semi-final is a rarefied place for someone who struggled for Fulham in the English Premier League last season. He will not be the only one who was happy he was rarely tested. Getty -
Thilo Kehrer – 6. Made hard work of his match up with Nkunku in the first half, without being overly stretched. EPA -
Presnel Kimpembe – 7. Yellow carded just before the break for blocking off Olmo. Made a fine last-ditch tackle to thwart Leipzig when PSG were 3-0 up. AFP -
Thiago Silva – 7. Battled on after suffering a facial injury at a corner and showed his class under pressure. Copped another one in the face late on, too. AFP -
Juan Bernat – 8. Full of diligent running along the PSG left flank, and somehow popped up in the centre-forward position to head in the third, which killed the tie. Reuters -
Marquinhos – 8. He settled PSG nerves with a towering header in the 13th minute, and was a vital presence in the PSG midfield throughout the 90 minutes. AFP -
Leandro Paredes – 7. Understated, but just what PSG required as he won the ball and fed it to a forward line who were buzzing. Getty -
Ander Herrera – 7. His sound use of the ball went unnoticed for the large part, but allowed the flashier forward stars to strut their stuff. AP -
Neymar – 8. He was wasteful when he hit the post in the sixth minute, but visionary when he did similar in the 35th from a wide free kick. Deft flick set up Di Maria’s goal. AP -
Angel Di Maria – 9. Delicious deliveries for the headers by Marquinhos and Bernat, and made no mistake with his finish for the second. Outstanding. Reuters -
Kylian Mbappe – 6. Created a chance with fine skill for Neymar which was wasted in the sixth minute, but was trying to find sharpness on his return from injury. Getty -
SUBSTITUTES: Julian Draxler – NA. Barely spotted his brief time on the field at the end, and will not be expecting to dislodge any of the big guns in the XI for the final. Reuters -
Marco Verratti – NA. Not enough time to press his case for a starting place in the final, but the fact he could take the field following injury is still a good sign. Reuters -
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting – NA. Did not have enough time to work up a sweat after his late introduction. AFP -
Pablo Sarabia – NA. Brought on late as Thomas Tuchel gave some of the stars a curtain call. AFP
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Though Di Maria, purchased for a mere €64m from Manchester United five summers ago, may not carry the same size of transfer fee as Neymar - €222m - or Mbappe - €180m - his contributions to the fabulous front three are no less precious.
The Di Maria left foot is a magic wand when he is in form. At 32, he retains his sharp turn of pace. That lean frame - he is known as El Fideo, ‘The Noodle’ - can snake its way out of the tightest spots and his experience on the big stage will be an asset on Sunday.
Di Maria knows the Lisbon venue intimately. He played for Benfica, usual tenants of the Estadio da Luz, and put in a man-of-the-match performance, for Real Madrid, the last time the Luz staged a Champions League final, in 2014.
After that, the Argentine joined Manchester United for the unhappiest year of his senior career, but one he can look back on as atypical.
Five years on, and a season after United were the last establishment grandee to knock a fragile PSG out of the competition before the semis, Di Maria will feel he is on the right escalator, as indeed will PSG's other United ex, Ander Herrera, or for that matter Romelu Lukaku and Ashley Young, formerly of Old Trafford and, as of Monday night, Europa League finalists with Inter Milan, who will meet Sevilla for that prize on Friday.
A new order may be taking shape. No English clubs will contest either of the weekend’s European showpieces after four were involved in them last season.
And if PSG carry through their momentum, the greatest prize of all will have the name of a new city, Paris, etched onto it.
