“I am very happy for the team,” Rangnick told Monday’s Mitteldeutsche Zeitung and the RBLive portal.

Rangnick said that while PSG had outstanding attackers in the likes of Neymar, Angel di Maria and Kylian Mbappe “I see them vulnerable on the defensive end, especially via the full backs.”

An early goal and the team’s strength on the counter-attack could help Leipzig achieve another surprise after they knocked out Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.

But he said PSG remain favourites because of their stars and “because the team appears as one.”

Rangnick was sports director at Leipzig 2012-2019, coached them to Bundesliga promotion 2015-16 and again in 2018-19. Two weeks ago he left the Red Bull empire by stepping down from his post as Head of Development Soccer but still feels part of Leipzig.

“The Champions League tournament is still part of the old season, so of course I’m excited for Leipzig and still see myself as part of the team for these games,” said Rangnick.

Rangnick knows both coaches well. He installed his former Ulm player Thomas Tuchel, now in charge at PSG, as under-15 coach at VfB Stuttgart; and Julian Nagelsmann first came to Hoffenheim as junior team coach when Rangnick was head coach there, and he then brought him to Leipzig last year.