Paris Saint-Germain – 2012/13 Season Review

Paris Saint-Germain can reflect on a highly successful 2012/13 season after the club secured their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years, finishing a healthy 12 points clear of second-placed bitter rivals Marseille. Carlo Ancelotti’s declaration of his intent to quit the side from the capital following the confirmation of that success has dampened the occasion somewhat, but his protracted exit should not overshadow a solid season of progress.

The Italian’s situation aside, PSG are domestic champions for the first time since 1994 and that was what was asked of them at the start of the season. Fighting on four fronts, Ancelotti was challenged to mould an expensively assembled squad into a strong team and to balance the egos in the dressing room to produce immediate results. He succeeded.

Back in the Champions League after an eight-year absence, little was expected of PSG outside of a group stage that was seen as straightforward. They did top Group A eventually, but it was not as easy as it looked. Despite progressing, nobody would have predicted that the side would go all the way to the quarterfinals, only to be eliminated by Barcelona on away goals.

Ancelotti’s side surprised everyone in Europe, but will be disappointed with themselves in their domestic cup form. Winning every trophy on offer would have been a tall pre-season objective, but it is unlikely that quarterfinal exits in both the Coupe de la Ligue and the Coupe de France were what the capital club’s hierarchy had in mind.

Given the events of a topsy-turvy season though, PSG’s achievement remains impressive. After initially struggling to break down their domestic opponents, not winning a match until week four away at Lille, results again dried up when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was absent for two matches after being sent off during a 2-1 home defeat against Saint-Etienne. PSG then dropped from the top of the table to fourth after a testing November-December period that put Ancelotti’s position in jeopardy.

The Italian turned it around however after hitting rock bottom with a 2-1 defeat at Nice. The key moment was the fortuitous 2-1 home win over Porto that followed. With it, PSG took top spot in their Champions League group, before reaching the summit of Ligue 1 before Christmas. Despite a minor wobble in early 2013, and the tragic death of the club’s Head of Performance Nick Broad, the team showed character to battle back into the lead again and then to not relinquish it for the remainder of the season.

Although Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 30-goal haul almost single-handedly led the side to the title, equalling Jean-Pierre Papin’s 23-year-old haul from 1989/90, it would be unfair to let the Swede’s phenomenal scoring achievements completely dominate the view of the campaign. 2012/13 will be remembered just as fondly for the emergence of Blaise Matuidi as a key player for club and country. After starting the season opener against Lorient on the bench, the former Saint-Etienne man made himself indispensable to Ancelotti and France coach Didier Deschamps but most importantly the club, when it had looked like he was in danger of being overlooked.

All in all, it was a successful season for the side from the capital, even if there is room for improvement. The danger now is that Ancelotti’s potential departure will rip the current side apart and take the PSG project back to square one with so much hinging on the Italian’s presence. The club are playing hardball with suitors Real Madrid, doing everything to keep their man, but after their complete lack of confidence in him when the team were struggling in November and December, Ancelotti is rightly considering his options.

With Monaco already a major threat next season, this summer is pivotal for the Parisians. Approaching next term with a less than committed coach, despite his unquestionable professionalism, is a bigger risk than the victory in keeping him away from Real would be.

FINAL POSITION: 1st

Review by @Jon_LeGossip