Seen and read about PSG in the French press this Wednesday, September 18, 2024. The Champions League match against Girona, the behind the scenes of the Luis Enrique method, a new-look PSG, the youth of the Parisian squad, an asset?
In today’s edition, The Team evokes the entry into the lists of PSG in this new format of the
Champions League. This Wednesday evening (9 p.m. on
Canal Plus), the Parisian club faces
Girona At Parc des Princes. In a new formula where all points will be good to take, the Red & Blue must not fail. Since the new direction taken by the club last season, the PSG is making less noise on the European scene, but that does not mean a drop in its ambitions, “of which he has reached at least the last four in three of the last five editions, gradually dispelling the rumour of a culture of failure in the round of 16.” The Parisians’ goal will be to finish this first phase in the top eight of the standings and avoid a two-way play-off (9th to 24th place). The French champions will face Girona. Surprising third of
La Liga Last season, the Spanish team was weakened this summer with the departure of important players (Artem Dovbyk, Savinho,
Aleix Garcia) but was able to count on the arrival of ten new players. If the team of Michael has kept his style of play, his recent defeat against the FC Barcelona (1-4) is evidence of a team in reconstruction. The PSG will not be able to afford to lose points against this type of opponent and intends to build on its excellent start to the season (4 wins in 4 matches)
Ligue 1). ” Paris has a little more certainty than questioning and knows, therefore, that he can count on the formidable legs of the two couples who light up his corridors, Hakimi-Dembele right,
Nuno Mendes-Barcola on the left. »
The sports daily focuses on this PSG
new look. If the Parisian club is well armed in this sector of the game, the size of its midfielders raises some questions. With the exception of
Fabian Ruiz (1m89), there are only players of average height left. To date, the Parisian staff seems to favor the trio Warren Zaire-Emery, Vitinha
And Joao Neves. “This choice corresponds to the will of Luis Enrique to bet on players with qualities of dynamism, mobility, technical mastery, quality of ball retention and pressing. This lack of size and impact in this sector of the game had been analyzed by Luis Campos upon his arrival in the summer of 2022. He had thus undertaken to recruit profiles like that ofAurelien Tchouaméniultimately deemed too expensive. But “with an average height of 1m78 for all of its environments, the PSG appears within the norm when compared to the winners of the event since 2000-2001″concludes THE.
THE PSG also has the opportunity to make history in this competition. In the event of a final victory in this Champions Leaguethe Parisian club could become the youngest team to win this trophy since 2000-2001. With a squad whose average age is 23 years and 3 months, the Parisian club has the third youngest group of this C1behind
Salzburg And Sturm Graz and equal with AS Monaco. “Among the last winners, AC Milan 2006-2007 had the highest average age, at 29 years and 291 days, while the FC Barcelona of 2008-2009 had the youngest (26 years and 120 days), ahead of the Liverpool from 2004-2005 (26 years and 121 days) of one day »reports
The Team. But this parameter does not worry
Luis Enriqueas he explained in a press conference: “You can win and not have experience. I don’t put limits on my players. Is it better to have experience or to play football? Experience is important, but I see many experienced players making the same mistakes. It’s difficult to calculate the percentage of experience needed.”
Finally, for the attack, the PSG has turned a page in its recent history following the departure of Kylian Mbappé. For more than a decade, the Parisian club had centered its project around a star individual (Ibrahimovic, Neymar,
Mbappe, Messi…). Despite some rumors and procrastination (the trail Victor Osimhen), the Parisian board remained on its new line of conduct and alone Desired Gifted was recruited in the offensive sector. “A choice assumed by
Luis Enriqueone of whose objectives is to have a less predictable and readable team. However, the voracious
Mbappe presented the disadvantages of its advantages, being increasingly targeted by opposing defenses. This season, the Parisian coach wants to be able to vary the pleasures. And so far, it’s working well.
Ligue 1 with nine different scorers:
Barcola (4 achievements), Dembele
(3), Lee Kang-in, Kolo Muani (2 each), Asensio, Hakimi,
Warren Zaire-Emery, Vitinha,
Fabian Ruiz (1 each).
For his part, The Parisian focuses on the ins and outs of the method Luis Enrique At PSG. Since his arrival, the Spanish technician leaves nothing to chance. He wants to see his team evolve day by day and make his troops as unpredictable as possible for everyone except for themselves. “A philosophy that he is constantly working to develop, with the help of an expanded staff, the recurring use of video, data, a sharp analysis of movements, tactics and a speech that is deliberately intended to be simple.” Luis Enrique demands a high level of intensity and commitment from its players in training. And it also expects exemplary behavior off the field. Those who do not have the same vision of professionalism are invited to leave the club, just like Marco Verratti And Neymar Jr in the summer of 2023. This season, it is Ayman Kari who paid the price. “He, in whom the sports management seemed to want to believe, would have turned up at the restart slightly overweight and would not have then shown sufficient motivation during the first sessions to make the Spanish coach want to keep him in the squad”reports LP.
But, the method Luis Enrique also has its importance in creating a bond with the players. The Parisian coach loves his players and most of them love him back.
“Despite sometimes surprising choices, many recognize his professionalism and appreciate his unique personality. He, who knows how to keep everyone under pressure by only revealing his starting eleven a few hours before kick-off, wonderfully handles humor, speeches and benevolent choices towards them.” The former Spanish coach found the words to makeOusmane Dembele one of the technical leaders of his training. And this is felt in the confidence of the Parisian number 10. To give even more importance to Vitinhahe chose him as his designated penalty taker. Luis Enrique appears as the missing link to link the different parts of the Parisian organization chart and it forms a complementary trio with Luis Campos And
Nasser al-Khelaïfi. “The discipline, firmness and equality of treatment imposed from day one by
Enrique initially made some people grind their teeth. But the method was all the more appealing from the grassroots to the highest levels because it always found its justification in the defense of the institution and the progression of the team. During the off-season, Luis Enrique got everything he wanted in terms of arrivals and departures, except Rayan Cherki who backtracked on his decision.
Finally, the Parisian daily wonders if the youth of the team of PSG can be an asset. This summer, the Parisian board recruited young people with the arrivals of William Pacho (22 years old), Joao Neves (19 years old) and
Desired Gifted (19 years old). During the off-season, the Rouge & Bleu lost five members of their squad at an average age of 26.6 (among players who played at least 20 matches last season): North Mukiele, Carlos Soler, Manuel Ugarte, Danilo Pereira And Kylian Mbappé. The capital club continues to recruit young players in order to help them grow within the group. If experience has often been put forward to go far in major competitions, this is starting to change as shown by the victory of
Spain has Euro 2022 or the unfortunate finalists of the last two editions of
Champions League (Inter Milan,
Borussia Dortmund). Last season, the training of Luis Enrique was already the youngest among those qualified for the 8th finals. And this change of mentality is symbolized by the importance taken by Warren Zaire-Emery (18 years old). “Like the
Lucas Beraldo (20 years old), Nuno Mendes (22 years old), Vitinha (24 years old),
Kang-In Lee (23 years old), these young shoots have no time to lose, ready to take a longer path than their elders: responsibilities start earlier and careers end later. If the PSG allows itself to have this philosophy, it is thanks to Luis Enriquewhich surrounds its young with at least one frame per line: Donnarumma,
Marquinhos, Hakimi,
Asensio or even Dembele.
