In a decade of trying to get their hands on the biggest prize in European club football, PSG has appeared in the final just once, losing to Bayern Munich in 2020
In a decade of trying to get their hands on the biggest prize in European club football, PSG has appeared in the final just once, losing to Bayern Munich in 2020
For Paris Saint-Germain, each season begins with questions about whether this could be their year in the Champions League, which begins on Tuesday for Kylian Mbappe and his team-mates against Juventus.
In an attempt to get their hands on the biggest prize in European club football since the transformative Qatari takeover, PSG have appeared in the final just once, losing to Bayern Munich in 2020 after the pandemic forced UEFA to innovate with a ‘final eight’. Forced to. ‘ draft.
Otherwise it occasionally disappoints regularly over insults, such as Real Madrid’s exit in the last 16 last season, when they led 2–0 in an hour on aggregate in the second leg.
PSG have spent a close season trying to ensure there are no repetitions this time around, and so has a new coach, a new recruiting charge and a slew of new signings.
Most importantly, Mbappe turned down Real Madrid in hopes that he could lead his hometown club to its first Champions League title.
It seems all or nothing for all parties, only PSG is under increasing pressure to perform in Europe this season, when Lionel Messi and Neymar are still in favor of Mbappe.
Early signs for that trio are promising, except for some concerns about Mbappe’s attitude in a Ligue 1 game last month and concerns in particular about the war of egos between him and Neymar.
Neymar has changed
The Brazilian player has changed in recent months, with injury concerns and doubts about his motivation put aside as he has already scored nine goals this season.
Neymar is playing like someone who knows what is at stake this season, both with his club in the Champions League and with his country in the World Cup.
The same goes for Messi, who had a bad first year in Paris as he came to terms with leaving Barcelona.
Six games into the domestic league season and PSG are at the top of the table, unbeaten and have scored 24 goals.
New coach Christophe Gaultier is settled immediately and appears to be far more authoritative than predecessor Mauricio Pochettino – he isn’t afraid to take any of his three superstars off the game if he deems it necessary.
Meanwhile, the club’s new football advisor Luis Campos, who has replaced sacked sporting director Leonardo, oversaw the start of a revolution in the sports team.
This is particularly the case in midfield, where Portuguese international Vitinha has developed a promising partnership with Marco Verratti, while compatriot Renato Sanch and Spain duo Fabian Ruiz and Carlos Soler have also arrived.
Key players, led by Pochettino and his predecessor Thomas Tuchel, have been clearly ruled out, with Angel Di Maria, Idrisa Guay and Thilo Kehrer all departing.
Georginio Wijnaldum, Ander Herrera, Leandro Paredes and Julian Drexler are among those who have given up taking loans.
worrisome shortage of defenders
But the biggest concern in Paris comes from the fact that PSG – who have been fined again by UEFA for financial fair play violations – could not raise more money in the sale.
This prevented him from bringing in a central defender with a move after Inter Milan’s Slovakian international Milan Scrianar failed.
Gaultier has set up a three-man central defense but now has no specialist back-up for a trio of Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe and a creaking Sergio Ramos.
“A coach can’t always say: ‘I miss such and such player in this situation’. You have to adapt,” said Gaultier, who has coached only six matches in the Champions League, all at Lille .
“I understand there are questions about my legitimacy, especially because at Lille we didn’t do well in the Champions League, but that experience will still help me,” he told Sports Daily. L’Equipe before the start of the season.
He will be a man of collapse if another European campaign ends in disappointment, but first PSG will be expected to ease through a group comprising Benfica and Maccabi Haifa.
“We have started the season well, we are scoring goals and playing well,” Gaultier said over the weekend before warning: “But the Champions League is another level.”