Is France’s Ligue 1 competition hurting PSG in the Champions League?
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Since the arrival of Qatari Sports Investment in 2011, Paris Saint-Germain have seen unfathomable success in France’s Ligue 1 and domestic cup competitions. PSG’s success hasn’t translated over to the UEFA Champions League, however. Even with the £200 million transfer of Neymar in 2017, PSG couldn’t get past Europe’s elite in the club competition.
QSI have been in charge of PSG for eight years and millions of pounds have been invested into the playing squad. Yet, PSG have found the quarterfinals of the Champions League to be the limit of their abilities. Six Champions League competitions have seen the team eliminated at the quarterfinal stage. More damning has been the last two seasons in which PSG have been knocked out in the round of 16.
Questions have been raised over just why PSG cannot win the Champions League despite the vast sums of money the owners have spent. PSG are a victim of their own success in France. They have won five of the last six Ligue 1 titles and look likely to win another this term. PSG are head and shoulders above the competition domestically and other than their meltdown in 2016-17, coupled with Monaco’s nearly perfect season, they haven’t put a foot wrong.
PSG’s Ligue 1 success is the exact thing that is damaging their Champions League performances. Their Champions League matchday 1 loss to Liverpool was a microcosm of the problems. PSG had a team full of talent, but a lack of discipline, tactics and team effort killed any hope of winning the fixture. Despite losing 3-2 and nearly gaining a draw, PSG were pitiful in the fixture and their superstars – especially Neymar – offered very little.
Too much was played off the cuff and manager Thomas Tuchel seems to have little purpose. Neymar spent most of the 90-minutes standing around being marked out of the match. Meanwhile, PSG’s midfielders and defenders were constantly yelling at both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to fulfil their defensive duties.
The lack of competition PSG have faced in France can easily be seen in the scores of each domestic fixture. PSG have tallied three or more goals in each match. Matches have been won by a minimum of two goals and PSG have barely had to break a sweat in winning. In the build-up to PSG’s match against Liverpool, Tuchel didn’t play either Neymar or Mbappe against Saint-Etienne. PSG still won the match 4-0.
There is an old saying that goes, “to be the best, you have got to beat the best”. Unfortunately for PSG, they aren’t even competing against the best in domestic competition. There is more to making a great team and Champions League winner than just millions of pounds. PSG are the Harlem Globbtrotters of football, a modern day Galacticos. Of course, the Galacticos, in their pomp, never won a trophy.
PSG may win domestic silverware, but the competition in France is holding them back.
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