A defense at bay and a great reaction to lead to a 3-2 victory against AS Monaco in the first leg of the play-off on Tuesday evening. The performance of the Parisians still raises questions about the real level of this PSG, compared to that of the second part of the 2024-2025 season. Many are looking for the famous trigger match, like the Manchester City reception last year, which clearly launched the great Parisian series.
Be careful when replaying the previous season
Each season has its own scenario, and by wanting to designate a trigger match, we are always waiting for it. At this time last season, PSG had easily won in Brest (3-0) and had not lost a match since November 2024, against Bayern Munich. The dynamic is completely different this season, for reasons already widely mentioned (truncated preparation, voluntarily limited squad to help young people progress, repeated injuries).
In 2024-2025, it was Luis Enrique’s trials and errors that were the talk of the town, with his search for the ideal false number 9, until DembĂ©lĂ© won thanks to formidable efficiency. But PSG also conceded a lot of chances, like this season. The total domination and the impressive score in the final against Inter Milan should not overshadow the rest of the European journey: qualification on penalties against Liverpool, a very complicated return match against Aston Villa and heroic Donnarumma against Arsenal.
Less striking individuals
Supporters, columnists and other consultants wait to see PSG 2025 at each outing. We find it in sequence, but things have changed. The goalkeeper of course, but also some individuals further inside. Marquinhos gets moved, Vitinha shines a little less and loses verticality in his game, JoĂŁo Neves has difficulty putting together good performances… And individualism has made its appearance on several occasions in the offensive sector. Where the desire to serve the best-placed player was palpable last season, today we feel the greater attraction for individual exploits (forced strikes, more frequent rushes with the ball).
Nothing dramatic if PSG manages to stem the phenomenon, visibly felt by certain players (not exempt from individualism either), and the collective framework established by Luis Enrique will have to be strict in the coming weeks. The Ile-de-France club can still believe in a victorious season in Europe, because it has broken down the psychological barrier of the first success in the Champions League, because its players know the work to be accomplished, because its opponents are more afraid of it and are capable of failing for this reason alone. But much more than that is needed for a new life-saving trigger.
