For the eighth time since the arrival of the Qatar Sports Investments fund at the head of the club in 2011, Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned champions of France. A title confirmed thanks to its draw against Lens, Saturday April 23 (1-1). If the main objective of PSG has not been achieved in the Champions League and the Reds and Blues have been eliminated from the Coupe de France, the capital club still avoids a white season by winning the championship. Criticized in the game, did the men of Mauricio Pochettino achieve the worst season under the QSI era? Response elements in figures.
78 points in 34 games: an average total
In terms of points, the Parisians’ 2021-2022 season is far from the worst of the QSI era. After their draw and their point acquired against Lens on Saturday evening, PSG have 78 points after 34 days, one point more than the average for previous seasons since the arrival of the Qataris.
Without taking into account the 2019-2020 season, cut off by several meetings due to the Covid-19, Mauricio Pochettino’s men are ahead of two seasons which crowned PSG: 2012-2013 (73 points) under Carlo Ancelotti and 2014-2015 (71 points) with Laurent Blanc. Their counter is however far from that of the record season of 2015-2016 (still Laurent Blanc), where they had obtained 96 points at the end of the championship and had 86 after 34 days.
In terms of points difference on their runner-up, the Parisians are not left out either in 2021-2022. According to the result of Olympique de Marseille on Sunday, they will have between 13 and 16 points on the second in the championship after 34 days.
But this gap is partly linked to the competition offered to PSG. Even considering a victory for OM, who would then have 65 points at the end of the 34th day, the Phocaeans would be the second with the lowest total of points at this stage of the season for six years, when Monaco had pocketed 58 points in 2015-2016.
Defense: where the shoe pinches
Despite the presence of two world-class goalkeepers in its workforce and the recruitment of Sergio Ramos, too often unavailable (five starts in L1), Paris Saint-Germain have conceded 31 goals in 34 league days. This is the club’s worst record for seven years and the 2014-2015 financial year, when the Ile-de-France residents had conceded 33 units at this stage of the season.
A figure which is explained in particular by the fact that, even by winning with very wide scores, PSG tends to concede a goal, even against teams at the bottom of the rankings such as Lorient (5-1, during the 30th day) or Clermont for example (6-1, during the 31st day). Mauricio Pochettino’s men have only achieved 11 clean sheets (games without taking a goal), their lowest total after 34 days since the 2014/2015 season (also 11).
Mbappé to make up the shortcomings
With 76 goals scored, Paris Saint-Germain is, after 34 days, the best attack in Ligue 1. A total not far from its usual crossing points under QSI, but perhaps influenced by the enormous role played by Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman, currently the league’s top scorer (22) and top assist provider (14), is directly involved in 47% of his team’s goals in the league, making him the player the most involved in the goals of his formation in Ligue 1.