PSG's Loss to Manchester United 'Like Having a Car Crash,' Says Thomas Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel has described Paris Saint-Germain's 2018-19 UEFA Champions League exit to Manchester United in March as "like having a car crash."

After years of underperforming in Europe's elite club competition and back-to-back exits at the first knockout round, PSG looked well set to return to the quarter-finals after an accomplished 2-0 win at Old Trafford in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

However, a 3-1 defeat at the Parc des Princes in the second leg saw PSG crash out on away goals in humiliating fashion to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's United side:

Given they were already well on their way to the Ligue 1 title, and the fact that PSG's successes and failures are largely based on European performances, the defeat effectively ended their season three months early.

Tuchel has now explained how badly the loss affected him and his side, per beIN Sports (h/t Goal's Robin Bairner):

"It was like having a car crash. The light went green and we were hit hard. We wondered what we had done wrong, if we had neglected something. Surely we had neglected something. In between the matches, people at my daughter's school and all around the city were saying: 'OK, now things are different, we feel it.'

"Everyone thought that we were going to qualify and go further, but we didn't do it. And I had the impression that, afterwards, everyone said: 'Ah… it's not changed, it's like in previous years.' And we thought: 'No, no, no, it's not the same.' But we were totally helpless. It was like sand flowing through our hands without being able to hold it back."

The German manager added he spent the three days after the defeat "in total darkness, like I had never known before."

PSG have started the 2019-20 Champions League campaign, their eighth in succession, in fine fashion, beating Real Madrid 3-0 at home and Galatasaray 1-0 away to move four points clear at the top of Group A.

The group phase has never really been an issue for PSG, though, and come the knockout stages this season, they will once again have to try to throw off their reputation for choking when it really matters.

PSG's Champions League record in the last seven full seasons makes for disappointing reading for the club's fans.

Between 2013 and 2016, they were knocked out four times in a row in the quarter-finals, and they have now lost three last-16 ties in succession to United, Real Madrid and Barcelona—the latter was arguably even more humiliating than the Red Devils defeat:

That is not good enough for a club with ambitions of joining the European elite.

United, Barca, Real, AC Milan, Liverpool, Ajax, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Juventus have established themselves as the top European clubs by consistently performing well in the Champions League.

Both Milan clubs and United have variously been absent from the tournament in recent seasons, but their history of success has confirmed their spot among the elite.

Given PSG's modest history, they can only hope to join that group by enjoying sustained success in the Champions League.

Further failure to finally break into at least the semi-finals this season could cost Tuchel his job, and it is clear he will be hugely motivated to avoid a repeat of last term.