The defeat against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena leaves Paris Saint-Germain deeply affected in the Champions League.
Few individuals handle pressure like Luis Enrique. The Asturian coach doesn’t sugarcoat things, doesn’t hold back, and refrains from using comforting lies or euphemisms to downplay the severity of the situation. ‘Lucho’ speaks the truth, and he did so again after losing at the Allianz to Bayern in a match that could signify PSG’s elimination from the first Champions League with the new format.
In Europe, matches take on a different magnitude. Mistakes seem to cost more, and if one isn’t decisive in the box, it becomes a ‘mission impossible’ to win. At the Allianz, PSG learned this lesson once again. Luis Enrique opted for Matvei Safonov in goal, benching Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Italian keeper who has featured in numerous key goals conceded by PSG in past Champions League campaigns. Unfortunately for the Russians, he faltered and ‘gifted’ Bayern the only goal of the match with a poor punch clearance from a corner.
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The red card shown to Ousmane Dembélé in the 58th minute effectively ‘killed’ PSG’s hopes in the match, and possibly in the competition, highlighting once again the vital importance of having a reliable goalkeeper in Europe (just ask Real Madrid and Thibaut Courtois) and a striker who can resolve games. PSG’s star players have yet to shine consistently. In fact, Manuel Neuer completed more dribbles during the match (1) than either Bradley Barcola or the former Barça player, and since last year’s quarter-final tie against Barça, no forward from PSG has managed to score in the Champions League.
The plan was sound: to fight man-to-man with Bayern’s players, defend well outside the area, and attack Manuel Neuer’s goal whenever there was space to run. However, the German keeper enjoyed a relaxed night. Luis Enrique’s record with PSG in the Champions League now stands at six wins, three draws, and eight losses; six of those losses came in 2024 alone. Last season, the team reached the semi-finals.
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With four points from five matches, PSG’s only victory in this season’s Champions League came in their debut against Girona, thanks to an own goal by Paulo Gazzaniga in the dying moments. A 2-0 loss at the Emirates, a 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven at the Parc des Princes, and a heartbreaking defeat against Atlético Madrid (1-2) after squandering countless chances, have left PSG desperately needing points ahead of their visit to Munich.
This stands in stark contrast to the situation in Ligue 1, their domestic league. In France, PSG is comfortably defending their crown, amassing 32 points in 12 games, six points ahead of second-placed Monaco under Adi Hütter. It seems they don’t feel that special pressure that looms over them in the Champions League.
There is no time for lamentations, and Luis Enrique is clear: ‘We have to win the three remaining matches. If we don’t, we might not qualify,’ he stated in the press conference. To leave no room for doubt, he took the blame: instead of pointing fingers at Safonov or Dembélé, who were below par, he acknowledged his own responsibility: ‘Here is the culprit, it’s me.’
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Currently sitting in 26th place, PSG is outside the ‘Top 24’ of the Champions League and, clearly, lightyears away from the ‘Top 8,’ which offers direct qualification to the knockout stages. This is a crisis situation considering the obsession in Qatar to lift the ‘Orejona.’ In their docuseries, ‘You Have No Idea,’ Luis Enrique himself spoke about it: ‘At PSG, there is an obligation to win the Champions League, and that eats away at you.’ The Asturian knows the season is at stake in these three matches.
First up is Salzburg, the theoretically easiest opponent. A defeat against the Austrians, apart from being completely unexpected, could have irreversible consequences for the Asturian’s project. Falling in the Champions semi-finals is one thing, but failing to even reach the playoffs for the last 16 is entirely different.
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After their trip to Austria, PSG will host Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who is currently experiencing a deep slump, at the Parc des Princes. However, if PSG has done their homework ahead of the Salzburg clash, they must remain vigilant, as the English side boasts players capable of turning the game in mere seconds. The miracle that Feyenoord performed at the Etihad, overcoming a 3-0 deficit, is a feat that surely cannot be replicated.
Ultimately, if PSG manages to secure two victories, bringing them up to 10 points, they will need to seal their stint in Germany against Stuttgart to finish with 13 points, a salvaged group stage. This would be the best-case scenario. And of course, qualifying for the last 16 entails winning against their playoff opponent.
The Champions League is the Champions League, and it demands near perfection to achieve excellence. Luis Enrique knows this better than almost anyone, yet he has not managed to reflect this on the pitch. His PSG does many things well, but fails in the most crucial areas: being decisive in both boxes. That’s why winning it is so challenging. It’s not enough to have a good plan or to do some things right; everything must be executed to perfection.
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