Since the summer of 2023, Bradley Barcola has been a Paris Saint-Germain player. However, the Lyon native could have taken a different path by moving to Germany. At the same time, RB Leipzig was seriously courting the Olympique Lyonnais-trained player. However, he opted to join the Parisians, a decision that has already proven fruitful, as the 2002-born footballer has made a name for himself in the capital, becoming a key starter. This trajectory led him to the French national team and participation in Euro 2024 in Germany, a country that has not forgotten the 22-year-old winger.
Fussball Transfers journalist Tobias Feldhoff revealed: “I would have loved to see him play in the Bundesliga.” His skills, especially his dribbling, would certainly have caused a stir on the other side of the Rhine, in a league where young talent is showcased and thrives at the highest level. Barcola, however, did not need to cross the Franco-German border to shine. Under the PSG mantle, the French international is establishing himself as one of the key players following the departure of superstar Kylian Mbappé. In 16 matches across all competitions, he found the net 10 times and provided 2 assists. More decisive than ever, Barcola reached a new level in Ligue 1.
Now, everyone is eager to see him translate that success onto the European stage. When asked about him at a press conference yesterday, Luis Enrique refrained from putting pressure and focused on the team as a whole. “I believe that when we analyze a player’s numbers, we should also consider those from the previous year. It’s difficult for such a young player. We should wait until the end of the season. We have better statistics than last year, we are looking at our strengths. We don’t depend on a single player and we want to improve all the individual statistics of all the players.” Despite this, Barcola, who has improved his league stats, needs to make an impact in Europe. This season, he has neither scored nor assisted in the Champions League.
As PSG face a crucial game tonight in Munich, almost all eyes are on them. In fact, he was featured on the cover of Le Parisien with the headline: “Bradley Barcola is Highly Expected in Munich.” The French publication notes that he has scored just one goal in the Champions League since starting in the competition. On the other side of the Rhine, his situation also sparked discussion. Kicker covered him in an article dedicated to the new PSG. “The original idea among the bosses was fundamentally good: buy or develop talented young players, especially French ones, and turn them into champions.”
The German publication adds: “This vision was partially successful, as was the case with Bradley Barcola, Lyon’s biggest talent, who cost around 50 million euros, but also made the team less dependent on Kylian Mbappé last season (. ..) Precise, cunning and agile: Bradley Barcola is currently at the top of the Ligue 1 top scorer table as a left winger.” Recommended as PSG’s “solution” by Kicker, Barcola will be watched closely. For Tobias Feldhoff, he is the main threat. “I think he’s the most dangerous. He’s the most talented player on the team.”
“Tonight presents the perfect opportunity for him to become a star. He has all the skills: speed, dribbling and finishing. In Germany, people believe that PSG are weaker than in previous years in terms of talent, but they work better as a team, making them dangerous. Furthermore, Bayern Munich are not as defensively stable as they were before.” Bradley Barcola, who is expected to start the match, will certainly have opportunities to showcase his talent tonight against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena and finally shine in Europe’s top competition. The former OL player knows exactly what he needs to do!
