No, Paris Saint-Germain did not suffer from a “lack of success”. Eliminated by the very small door of the Champions League, Wednesday March 9 in Madrid (1-0, 1-3), PSG must now ask themselves the right questions. The reasons for bankruptcy are, in any case, multiple. To better understand how a seemingly solid ship can pitch like this, here is a – non-exhaustive – list of fifteen deficiencies that could explain the early departure from the course.
1A detrimental mental bankruptcy
This PSG is a colossus with feet of clay: as soon as a blunder thwarts the initial plans, everything crumbles. After Benzema’s first goal, the Parisians panicked, while they remained virtually qualified. It didn’t work out afterwards. Very nervous, they received two yellow cards at 3-1 (Hakimi and Kimpembe). No extra soul has transcended the team. A mental problem that inevitably recalls the eliminations in Barcelona or against Manchester United.
2A crying Mbappé-dependence
Still a scorer, the French striker once again carried his team. Asked in depth, he even scored two other goals, refused for offside. But number 7 can’t do everything. Involved in 12 of the 15 Parisian goals in C1, he is essential to PSG. His 14 Ligue 1 goals put him one goal above Neymar, Di Maria, Messi and Icardi together! Paris lacks alternatives, and it shows. Three and a half months from the end of the Bondysien’s contract, the problem is urgent.
3Without a centre-forward, it’s more complicated…
If Kylian Mbappé seemed so alone, it’s also because Paris has no professional centre-forward in confidence. Mauro Icardi, who has disappeared from circulation this season, has not even come off the bench. Without n°9, PSG deprives itself of different aspects of the attacking game, with only 2 centers against 23 for the people of Madrid.
4… Karim Benzema is the proof
17 minutes were enough for the Madrid center-forward to extinguish PSG with a hat-trick. Becoming the 3rd top scorer in the history of the White House, ahead of the legendary Alfredo Di Stéfano, Benzema posed major problems for the Parisian defense throughout the game. At ease in the air sector, the French international spared no effort by multiplying the phases of pressing and sharp calls. And to think that he is 34 years old…
5A questionable transfer window
Thanks to an XXL recruitment last summer, PSG seemed almost unbeatable on paper. Eight months later, the results are disappointing and the recruits have not allowed PSG to pass this expected level. Hampered by repeated injuries, Sergio Ramos is almost invisible. Holder in Liverpool, Georginio Wijnaldum is only a rotation player. Finally, Lionel Messi struggles to live up to the expectations placed on him. Convincing in Ligue 1, Hakimi, Mendes and Donnarumma were too inconsistent in the Champions League.
6The recurring problem of away return matches
It’s a constant: as soon as PSG moves to the return match, it misses the mark. We have to go back to the spring of 2016 to find traces of a Parisian qualification in this configuration. Since then, Manchester City twice, Barcelona and therefore Real Madrid have taken advantage of mistakes away from the Parc des Princes. Managing the atmosphere of a hostile public and overcoming the lack of markers on the lawn is a major area for improvement.
7A bench too light
The entries into play by Gueye, Di Maria and Draxler were not very successful. But could Pochettino do better? His other options were pledges at this level (Simons, Michut, Dina Ebimbe) or undesirables (Kehrer, Icardi). Admittedly, Herrera, Ramos and Bernat were missing. But the contrast with the reliability and experience of the Madrid bench (Marcelo, Camavinga, Rodrygo, Vazquez, Isco, Bale, Hazard, Ceballos…) is striking.
8But where is the Pochettino paw?
Fifteen months he’s been there, and the question remains: what is Mauricio Pochettino’s contribution to the game? A few punctual projections here and there soften the observation, but it is implacable, Paris has no game identity. In Madrid, when the ship was sinking, the players had no common basis on which to rely. We even saw Messi dribbling alone on the kick-off after the third goal… A scene worthy of a video game. And at this level, the game plan of waiting for a flash from Mbappé is no longer enough.
9Ancelotti, of the caliber of the greatest
Conversely, Real Madrid never panicked, even in the trough. Coming out of nowhere, the merengue club displayed a phlegm worthy of its coach Carlo Ancelotti. With a classic 4-3-3, the Italian has not revolutionized anything. Some of his choices, such as the tenure of Marcos Asensio, are even questionable. But the “Mister” pulled himself together after making the wrong approach on the way out. And on arrival, his coaching (quick entries from Camavinga and Rodrygo) paid off.
10Verratti, the only safe bet in the middle
In the Parisian midfield, Marco Verratti is the only player who is unanimous. Against Madrid, the Italian dictated the game and imposed his rhythm until he fell with his team after the opposing equaliser. His acolytes Danilo Pereira and Leandro Paredes shone less: the two of them delivered fewer passes than Verratti in the match. Gueye, who came on, lost the ball on the third goal and Wijnaldum did not leave the bench. As great as it is, “Little Owl” cannot do everything.
11A hierarchy too vague among the guards
PSG is probably the only big club to have a two-headed operation as goalkeeper. Donnarumma, at fault on Madrid’s first goal, has only played 18 out of a possible 38 games since the start of the season. It is impossible to define a hierarchy between the best player of Euro 2021 and Keylor Navas. A lack of stability which can undermine the confidence of the two goalkeepers, unlike Thibaut Courtois, indisputable holder in Madrid.
12Neymar, irreplaceable but not essential?
On Wednesday, Neymar played all 96 minutes at the Bernabéu. As always or almost: in 31 starts in C1, he was replaced only once, against the Red Star in 2018. There was however reason to challenge the Brazilian, faulty on the second goal and non-existent defensively . Alas, he is part, with Messi, of the irremovable. And when he’s in bad shape, it’s a real problem for PSG.
13Too light defensive work by offensive players
And yet, it was not the most caricatural match in the matter. Mbappé was rather applied in the matter. At least Messi tried, but you can’t change a 34-year-old with the snap of a finger. Neymar’s pressing was absent to cut the first lines of recovery. In short, all is not enough. To pass a course, Paris cannot be satisfied with defending at eight or nine. Here again, the comparison with Benzema’s activity is glaring.
14A low stimulus despite risks
Rather than playing long, the Parisians made it a point of honor to get the ball out cleanly, even in their own area. It therefore sometimes consists of relying on the goalkeeper to build the raise. Donnarumma has thus made 19 more passes than Courtois, the Real goalkeeper. But faced with the big pressing of the Merengue, the strategy was risky. An error by Donnarumma thus led to Madrid’s first goal.
15The referee’s fault?
As soon as the final whistle sounded, the Parisian leaders did not fail to criticize the refereeing body. In question, a contact between Benzema and Donnarumma on the first goal, which could have resulted in a foul. For Luca Marelli, former Serie A referee, the arbitration decision seems logical: “This kind of contact is not taken into account on the international scene”, he said on Twitter. And the shortcomings are such that it is difficult for Paris to hide behind the man in black.