MOOD – PSG was not invited to the table of the elite in Europe. Their defeat on Tuesday in Munich is another example of this.
“I’m not here to waste time, but to win as many titles as possible. From now on.” These were Luis Enrique’s words after PSG’s 1-0 defeat against Bayern at the Allianz Arena. Is this a blatant denial? Perhaps the Spanish coach is referring to national titles, because in Europe the capital club is no longer invited to take a seat at the table of the best. Certainly the group stage draw was not kind to the Reds and Blues. The referees didn’t act kindly either, as Ousmane Dembélé’s second yellow card on Tuesday evening shows. “We’re just unlucky,” summarizes Vitinha. However, it’s not about luck, but about the level. “No, I continue to say that we have a very good team and that we can beat the best, that we can play well,” corrects the Portuguese midfielder. However, the place tells a different story…
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After the 2022 World Cup and the failure of the “all superstars” strategy, Paris Saint-Germain has opted for youth, teamwork and financial viability. This essentially represents a step back in terms of short-term ambitions. “We are not in a hurry,” explains Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, who was criticized by spectators in Munich on Tuesday. Not in a hurry, maybe. But there remains a significant gap between this state of affairs and the role of doormat for Europe’s giants. After Arsenal (2:0) and Atlético (1:2), Bayern showed the young Paris players what still separates them from the European elite. The gap is significant. Yes, Munich ultimately only won by one goal. With the only goal from a set piece, a corner kick to be precise, a recurring weakness for PSG. Nevertheless, the pitch gave a different impression: the difference between the two teams in the Allianz Arena was enormous.
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The caricature of Luis Enrique
One could discuss the rather surprising decisions of Luis Enrique, who, week after week, becomes more and more a caricature of himself and his ideas. The fact is, this squad is not built for the top. Neither today nor tomorrow. Apart from Achraf Hakimi, whose contract extension raises questions, world-class players are few and far between at PSG. In fact, they don’t exist. Dembélé should be part of this elite group due to his status and age. Unfortunately, he sometimes drags his teammates down with him. Bradley Barcola hits the European ceiling hard. On Tuesday he was nowhere to be seen, non-existent. And everyone else generally suffered in comparison. It’s hard.
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How many Paris players would make it into Bayern’s starting eleven? Hakimi definitely. Marquinhos might argue. Dembélé would have to fight hard to keep the upper hand against Leroy Sané or Michael Olise. The others would often sit on the bench if they moved to Bayern. That’s the reality. We shouldn’t hide from that. This step back feels like a free fall. And since the Parisians were unable to produce the necessary performance against PSV Eindhoven (1:1), they are sitting with just four points (you can find the table here). Not being in the top 8 is one thing. But not finishing in the top 24 at the end of this reformatted group stage would be embarrassing. A win in Salzburg (December 10th) and Stuttgart (January 29th) should theoretically be enough to reach the knockout rounds. The only requirement is to actually do it… In Austria it will be without “Dembouz”.
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Whose fault is this?
The owner has his share of the blame. This new project is his. And there are those who implement it, starting with Luis Enrique. The Spanish coach took on players he didn’t select, players who didn’t fit his game ideas, last summer. Since then, however, the squad has become more aligned with his philosophy. It was he who rejected the move of a striker last summer, among other decisions. Not to mention his tactical orientations. Then there is Luis Campos, who could benefit from venturing out of Jorge Mendes’ catalog and showing the creativity he has displayed at his other clubs. The semi-finalist of the last Champions League has nevertheless spent considerable sums on the transfer market, investing 450 million euros last season and 170 million euros last summer alone.
No time
In any case, Paris Saint-Germain is not Dortmund or AS Monaco. There is no time. Building for the future and pursuing a medium to long-term vision is quite normal. But sacrificing the now to such an extent, at least at the European level, is a completely different matter. But that is exactly what the management of Paris did, willingly or unwillingly. We are reduced to being satisfied with the fighting spirit of the Parisians, their courage, their willingness to play as a team. Where is the talent, the class, that certain something that the best footballers in the world possess?
Paris officials may have all the time in the world to ponder this question when their European season ends at the end of January. “It’s not the end of the Champions League for us,” insists Gonçalo Ramos, who wants to continue to believe in the knockout rounds. “We are not hiding it, the situation is tough. There are still three games left and we have to win all three,” explains his compatriot Joao Neves. Even then, management and the two Luises would do well to rethink their strategies. And quickly. In addition, the public does not seem inclined to follow the club in this minimalist policy, as shown by the many empty seats during the game against Toulouse (3-0) on Friday. Luckily the league exists. It makes victories and titles possible. Not to obscure reality.
