Paris Saint-Germain were knocked out of Europe by Bayern Munich on Wednesday night
Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi in action for PSG during their 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich in the Champions League
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé stood together with their trophies after the match. Argentina had just beaten France on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw at Qatar 2022. Some said it was the greatest game ever played; and it had been dominated by the world’s two finest footballers. By two Paris Saint-Germain players. Casual observers must have concluded that PSG are quite the team.
Messi scored twice in the World Cup final and finished the tournament with seven goals and three assists. Mbappé hit a hat-trick against Argentina and became only the second player in football history to do so in a World Cup final. He ended Qatar 2022 with eight goals and two assists. Extraordinary.
But for the second season running, those two players have been powerless to prevent PSG from exiting European competition in the round of 16: last year, the French champions were beaten by Real Madrid over two legs; this time, they lost 3-0 on aggregate to Bayern Munich. It is just not working.
In both cases, PSG paid a high price for finishing second in their group: last year, the Parisians had come in behind Manchester City; this time, they could consider themselves unlucky as two late Benfica goals away to Maccabi Haifa meant the two teams finished on the same amount of points and wins, with an identical goal difference as well. The sector was decided by goals scored away from home, which gave the Lisbon side the edge. They pipped PSG and were drawn against Club Brugge in the last 16, while the Parisians were paired with Bayern.
Lionel Messi was the World Cup’s best player and Kylian Mbappé the top scorer at Qatar 2022. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who won the Golden Glove, is in the middle
There was more misfortune as Messi went into the first leg with a hamstring problem, while Mbappé was only fit enough to start on the bench. In addition, Neymar was injured ahead of the second leg and missed the trip to Munich altogether.
But none of that excuses these two PSG performances. The Ligue 1 leaders failed to score across two games and conceded three. They were well beaten. And while this might not be a vintage version of Bayern, the Bavarians’ collective excellence makes them everything PSG are not.
PSG remain a collection of individuals. At this level, it is impossible to compete if players do not track back and work for the team. With the right tactics, as Argentina showed, it can work with one player. But not with two or more. Not in the Champions League. Making it work with Messi, Mbappé and Neymar in the same side is therefore extremely difficult – especially as PSG’s midfield is ordinary at best.
Despite the huge investment in Paris Saint-Germain from owners QSI, the French champions still do not look like winning the Champions League. In 2020, they came close, but lost the final to Bayern. But even then, a favourable draw saw them reach the showpiece after one-off wins over Atalanta and RB Leipzig as the last eight was played in Lisbon due to Covid-19.
PSG academy graduate Kingsley Coman says ‘sorry’ to his former club after scoring for Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes
In the final, it was a Parisian and former PSG player, Kingsley Coman, who had scored the winner. And Coman netted the only goal in the first leg of this tie at the Parc des Princes as well. So much did it mean to him that he refused to celebrate.
Coman made only four appearances for PSG’s first team before leaving for Juventus in 2014 and then moving to Munich. His contract ran down and he left for free. PSG had wanted to keep him, but ended up losing out as he cited a lack of first-team opportunities as his reason for leaving.
He is the type of player who should be forming the backbone of this team. And there are many more like him, with recent studies showing that Paris is now the biggest hotbed for football tallent in the world. As the city’s only top-flight club, PSG should be taking full advantage of that. Instead, their team is made up of a number of different nationalities. They have some of the world’s highest-paid players, but do they even want to be there? That’s questionable.
Mbappé is a local lad but even he might decide it is now time to move on if he wants to win the biggest prizes. The 24-year-old signed a new contract last summer after turning down Real Madrid, but that interest could be reignited. “If you want to win the Champions [League], you know [what to do]…” Marca said on their front cover on Thursday.
Messi, meanwhile, is yet to decide whether he will take up the club’s offer of a third year. And Neymar’s future is also up in the air, although he is out injured now for the rest of the season and that may scupper any transfer.
Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Neymar celebrate all together after a goal for PSG in Ligue 1
PSG will prioritise keeping Mbappé, but how long will he be happy with winning Ligue 1 every year and failing in Europe? The club’s structure is all wrong and they look no nearer to competing for the prize that they long for the most.
Perhaps it is time to start all over again, even if that means no Mbappé and no Messi at the Parc des Princes.