Paris Saint-Germain have failed to win Ligue 1 three times in the Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) era, each time requiring a remarkable performance from their opponents to overtake the Parisians in the standings.
The first was in 2012, when Montpellier, spearheaded by Olivier Giroud, surprised everyone by winning the title while PSG were adjusting to a new management. Then in 2017, AS Monaco, with young talents like Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva and Fabinho, excelled under the guidance of Leonardo Jardim. Finally, the 2020-2021 season saw the most intense title race in Ligue 1 in recent years, with Lille winning thanks to the incredible brilliance of Burak Yilmaz.
That season, however, was early in the Covid-19 pandemic, so there were many factors beyond PSG’s control. But is there something different about Ligue 1 this year? Have PSG really regressed enough to be worried after Mbappe left? Based on the last five games at the Parc des Princes, it seems that way.
PSG’s slump began with a Champions League game against Girona, when Luis Enrique’s side only beat the La Liga side thanks to a lucky own goal in injury time. This was followed by a draw with Reims, who had made an impressive start. PSG then eased past Rennes but then lost to Arsenal.
While not being able to pick up points away from Arsenal was not a disgrace, the manner of PSG's defeat was worrying. The Ligue 1 champions had little chance and were completely defeated by Mikel Arteta's strategy. The Emirates team's victory was much easier than expected from a team that was also considered a title contender like PSG.
PSG have a chance to regain the joy of victory when they only have to travel to Nice's field in Ligue 1. They welcome the return of Gianluigi Donnarumma after injury, along with the return of Ousmane Dembele to the starting lineup, after the conflict between him and Luis Enrique was resolved. Besides, Nice also does not have the best squad due to injuries.
However, what happened on the field was completely opposite. Nice, although giving control of the ball to PSG, had better chances. The home team even opened the score. Despite great efforts, the capital team could only equalize and had to leave with 1 point.
It is worth noting that Luis Enrique's substitutions have shown a serious lack of attacking options for PSG. The Spaniard took off lone striker Randal Kolo Muani and replaced him with Lee Kang-in, a creative midfielder rather than a true goalscorer. This clearly shows that PSG's attacking options are limited, a serious problem for a team with such huge resources.
The departure of Kylian Mbappe and the injury of Goncalo Ramos have left a huge gap in attack. Although Dembele and Bradley Barcola have both started the season well, their form has declined. Dembele has never been known for being a consistent performer, while Barcola is still too young and scored just five goals in 39 appearances last season.
Luis Enrique may be criticised for his questionable substitution decisions, but should the club’s board be held more responsible? Looking at how PSG let Victor Osimhen slip through the cracks, or how Moise Kean moved to Fiorentina for just €12m, it’s hard to accept that the Parc des Princes can’t sign a quality centre-forward at a reasonable price.
With tough fixtures ahead, including Man City and Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and a tough run of domestic fixtures against Strasbourg, Lens and Marseille, the decision not to add a genuine striker could push PSG into crisis mode this season.
