PSG are autumn champions… but no one talks about it

Paris Saint-Germain won the honorary title of autumn champion by dominating Lyon (3-1) and in total anonymity. Consultant for RMC Sport, Tony Vairelles explains the reasons for this possible lack of interest.

Triple reigning French champions, PSG are ten points ahead of their first pursuer in the standings. But even before its precious success in the advanced match of the 16th day in Monaco (4-2), the Ile-de-France club had secured the honorary title of autumn champion at mid-season. News which has not really revolutionized Ligue 1 or even made Parisian supporters shudder.

“I think it’s because PSG, for quite a few years, are often champions at the end of the year. If we look at the last ten years, they are champions eight times,” observes Tony Vairelles. “I think that today people are used to seeing PSG champions. So that they are autumn champions is no longer really a surprise.”

And the consultant RMC Sport clarified: “Perhaps also that people and Parisians now expect more results in the Champions League, for example. And the honorary title of autumn champion is perhaps a little less interesting people.”

Vairelles recognizes a “certain importance” to the title of autumn champion but…

Solid leader of Ligue 1, PSG won the fall champion title with their victory against Les Gones. However, no one in Luis Enrique's squad seemed to celebrate it. Here again Tony Vairelles has an explanation and no, it's not because of a total disinterest in the ranking halfway through the season.

“It always has a certain importance. But when you're a player, you know full well that it doesn't actually mean much,” insists the former striker, who played for Nancy, Lens and Lyon in particular. “Because you can have a great start to the season and then behind… We for example, when we were champion with Lens (in 1998), it seems to me that Paris Saint-Germain was already autumn champion (Metz , Editor's note). It doesn't mean much in the end because at the end you are autumn champion but behind that there is still a whole half of the season and the most important one.

“No matter how much we say what we want, it's undeniable that we have to have a good start to the season, but the most important part is the end of the season. That's where everything is at stake and where you have to perform.”

“It would have been a team other than PSG, I think that would have gotten people talking.”

Tony Vairelles took his reasoning further by comparing being autumn champion with the start of an international competition, a Euro or a World Cup.

“It's a good comparison, the World Cup or the Euro, because it's over a short period. We've often seen teams do well in preparation, go 5-0 or 6-0, and not go to the end because their peak of form is too early. The autumn champion title is the same when you are a player in my opinion you can't say that you don't care. But it's far away. to be your priority”, slips the scorer again eight selections for the Blues. “Your priority is to be there at the end. Even if you may have to not be in the leading group at the start because your preparation is different.”

And to underline the almost anonymous title of PSG in December: “Today I also think that PSG lovers are so used to PSG today, they have seen them all the time at the top for ten years, that it becomes commonplace. It would have been a team other than PSG, I think that would have gotten people talking. But now I think that today, for PSG, it's becoming normal to be champion, it's becoming normal to be. fall champion.”

“If it's PSG it's normal and if it's another it adds a little spice to the season. But that's in the unconscious. As PSG often finishes champion in recent years, it becomes a normality that he is fall champion.”

“Additional pressure” for the fall champion, the season is not over

PSG supporters a little jaded, those of other clubs disillusioned at the idea of ​​seeing the Ile-de-France residents kill the suspense in Ligue 1. However, according to Tony Vairelles, the season is far from over. On the contrary, PSG finds itself with an additional target on its back with this fall champion title. A label that is not always easy for players to accept.

“No, I don't think (that the season is over). Honestly, I don't think so because, precisely, it motivates the teams. On the other hand, when you are autumn champion, in my opinion it puts additional pressure on you “, continues the man with two championship titles with Lens and Lyon. “Okay, PSG because it's a big armada perhaps feels it a little less. But when you are autumn champion in other years, when the championship is a little more contested, I think that the fact of Being fall champion wasn't always a good thing because afterward everyone said they were the team to beat. It's like when you're champion the following year.”

“I don’t think it will suffocate Ligue 1”

Seeing PSG have such a lead at the time of the winter break can be worrying. The championship would no longer be competitive enough in the eyes of some. But Tony Vairelles doesn't believe that.

“I don't think it's going to stifle Ligue 1. Afterwards it's true that in the eyes of football lovers, the fact that it's often PSG and that there's a little less competitiveness, we can to say that the championship is less interesting but I don't think that at the team level this is the case”, finally judges the former French striker. “As a fan, yes. But as a player, I think you are motivated to play against PSG. Every PSG match, you want to beat them. Precisely because it's the team that is, in quotes, for ten years the most successful in Ligue 1.”

And to conclude on the attraction that such domination of PSG can bring: “As a player, if I put myself in their place, I think that everyone is motivated to play against PSG. And that creates motivation. It's certain. Afterwards, at the level of the supporters perhaps there is a certain habit that can set in to see PSG up there and that can give the impression of having less competitiveness. But I think. that is not the case I think. that there is always so much fighting spirit and competitiveness on the field. Everyone wants to beat the former champion or the reigning champion.