How Close Will Sergio Ramos Get PSG to European Glory?
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Sergio Ramos is a Paris Saint-Germain player after swapping Real Madrid for the French capital as the Spainard reaches the twilight of his career. However, is he the man to get PSG closer to European glory?
Ever since 2011, the aim for the French giants has been to win the Champions League, with Ligue 1 merely an expectation rather than a celebration. PSG did get to the final in 2020 and the semi-finals last campaign, but this is as good as it’s got.
Everything has seemed set in motion for the Ligue 1 side to reach Europe’s pinnacle with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Angel Di Maria, Neymar and Marco Verratti charging the club over the past few seasons.
One thing - and it’s tough to put a label on it - has been holding PSG back, however, and with Manchester City only improving, it isn’t getting any easier for the French outfit.
The addition of a four-time Champions League winner and World Cup-winning legend, on the other hand, might just do it.
First of all, there is no easy entry into the starting XI for Ramos. Presnel Kimpembe and Marquinhos have built a stellar partnership over the last few seasons, and with the Brazilian now the captain, if anyone is to drop out, it is Kimpembe.
Should Ramos get in, however, he will bring something almost everyone in the squad lacks: the ability to conquer Europe. The ex-Real Madrid captain registered 671 games for the Spanish club, which brought in a mesmeric 101 goals, four Champions Leagues and five La Liga titles.
The defender has also scored in Champions League finals, and brought the goods when his club needed it most. In 2014, he scored the equaliser with seconds to go as Atletico Madrid thought they clinched the trophy, whilst two seasons on, he scored against them again in the 2015/16 final to give Real the lead.
What gives PSG a boost in the addition of Ramos is his Spanish-esque nature, which makes his football intelligence vastly superior to almost every single defender on the planet.
Last year, the 35-year-old averaged an exceptional 7.6 long passes per game in La Liga, whilst Kimpembe only averaged 1.6 in Ligue 1.
Ramos’ ability to distribute the ball into the midfield or attack is something PSG have lacked. Neymar and Mbappe have been the main men for the past four seasons now, and at the end of the day, if PSG are to win the Champions League it is they who must force it, not a defender.
However, the addition of one of the continent’s most supremely talented, experienced and intelligent players, could be the final piece of an exceptionally complex puzzle.
Either way, Mauricio Pochettino has finally handed the club something the likes of Thomas Tuchel have lacked: finding a player who has actually dragged his team to European glory.
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