A frightening collapse. After an hour of play, suddenly, PSG disappears from the lawn of the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. The team has just been joined in the score this Wednesday, March 9 (1-1) because of a huge blunder by its goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma sanctioned by a first banderilla planted by Karim Benzema. The Parisians are still holding their qualification thanks to their victory of the first leg (1-0), but from then on no longer control anything, take on water from all sides, and suddenly sink. The essential Karim Benzema adds two more in two short minutes (77th and 78e), 3-1 for Real Madrid, goodbye PSG from the knockout stages of the Champions League.
PSG still inexplicably cracks
Once again, an early elimination. At the same stage as the three failures of 2017, 2018 and 2019. Once again at the end of an unlikely scenario. As during the 2017 “comeback” against Barcelona (4-0 in the first leg, 1-6 in the return), or during the reversal of the situation of Manchester United in 2019 (2-0 in the first leg in England and 1-3 on the way back). Once again therefore the PSG which becomes feverish, cracks very quickly under the pressure, and literally explodes. Inexplicably?
That this club loses its means when a small grain of sand comes to seize the machine undoubtedly reveals much more than a simple twist of fate, and summoning the glorious uncertainty of sport cannot be enough. Difficult however to find learned reasons for a recurring collective bankruptcy which does not necessarily concern the same players and the same coaches. Still, the club bought in June 2011 by Qatar often slips and remains far from the stated objectives.
Kylian Mbappé on the start?
From the outset, President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi had written the roadmap: 5 years to win the most beautiful of European trophies. This first delay ends with the trauma of Barcelona. Qatar suddenly pulls out its checkbook, to afford two record transfers, with Neymar (222 million euros) and Kylian Mbappé (145 million euros) during the summer of 2017. That’s not enough to go to the beyond a final reached in a covid year (1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich in 2020)? The greatest player of the previous decade strengthens the troop: Lionel Messi in majesty. Except that the PSG can stack the stars, it still ends up curling the ridiculous in this sad evening in Madrid.
The consequences of such a rout? PSG will drag out its misery in a Ligue 1 where there is no longer any suspense as it rides alone to the top of the rankings. The chronicle will therefore be occupied in the days and weeks to come by the soap opera of the departure of Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman has an insatiable appetite. He wants to win everything, and he is there, author of a goal there and back, alone to really float in the heart of the collective sinking. What arguments could PSG put forward to convince him not to join a Real Madrid which reaches out to him, desires him like never before, and shows a character that PSG has always been looking for in vain?
Mauricio Pochettino towards the exit
The defeat in Madrid also undoubtedly sounds the death knell for Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentinian coach is well and truly in charge of the club’s worst season under the Qatari era. A tenth title of champion of France for Paris at the end of the season should not change the bad deal: the strategist will not go to the end of his contract in June 2023. Will other changes take place in the coaching? A major questioning may seem necessary as PSG strives to build a reputation as an incurable patient. Except that a few months before a World Cup at home, Qatar can hardly upset everything in its flagship club and thoroughly review its strategy of always more.
“We always have to reflect and look at why things are happening this way. But we need time to reflect and move forward. hotly commented the sporting director Leonardo. In any case, disillusionment falls at the worst time for Doha, and even more so if Kylian Mbappé strikes the blow by joining Madrid at the end of spring. The time for doubt has returned. One more time.
