Sport
Paris Saint-Germain’s moment is finally here. 14 years after the Qatari takeover of the club, the French giants can become European champions for the first time by beating Inter Milan in Saturday’s Champions League final. Continental domination has been PSG’s stated aim for a decade-and-a-half and they are now just one win from it.
Of course, PSG have played in a Champions League final before. They met Bayern Munich in the 2019/20 final, losing 1-0. This time, however, feels different, not least because Saturday’s Champions League final won’t be played in the midst of a pandemic. This time, PSG might genuinely be the best team in Europe.
Few expected PSG to be so good after the departure of Kylian Mbappe last summer. The French club never truly replaced the World Cup winner, but instead focused on changing the culture at the Parc des Princes. They have moved on from the era of Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar to become younger and more homegrown.
Luis Enrique has been allowed to remould the team in his own image. While PSG’s superstar forwards previously refused to press from the front, the Ligue 1 side now play with the highest intensity. ‘Lucho-ball’ has made PSG a force of nature in how quickly they win the ball back after losing it.
Liverpool found this out to their cost as they were eliminated from this season’s Champions League in the round of 16. Aston Villa pushed PSG all the way, but didn’t have the same attacking quality of the French champions. The same could be said of Arsenal who struggled to break down PSG’s defensive line over two legs.
PSG’s development over the course of the season has been rapid. They won just one of their opening five League Phase games and could have crashed out of the competition had they not beaten Manchester City towards the end of the first stage. Since the turn of the year, though, PSG have been exceptional.
Their frontline of Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is incredibly fluid and interchangeable while the midfield unit of Joao Neves, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz represents everything Enrique wants in the centre of the pitch. The full backs – Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes – are also so important to the way PSG create overloads further up the field.
Inter could recycle the game plan they used to get the better of Barcelona against PSG on Saturday. The Italian giants have a strong defensive foundation and are among the best in quick transition. Saturday’s final at the Allianz Arena could be a fitting end to a compelling Champions League campaign.
“They have great attacking quality,” said Enrique, addressing Inter’s threat. “They know how to defend both high up the pitch and lower. We have to managed their mobility on the pitch. And we also have to bear the weight of their style of play. They’re worthy opponents for the Champions League final. But we’re also up for it, it will be a great final.”
A PSG victory would change the landscape of European football. For 14 years, PSG have been big spenders, but they haven’t been considered a serious force. Even when they had Messi, Mbappe and Neymar, they were a circus rather than a credible team that could challenge for the biggest honours.
The sight of PSG lifting the Champions League trophy would be a symbol, and vindication, of the change of approach that has taken place at the Parc des Princes. Saturday could witness the birth of a true force at the top of the European game. This could be PSG’s coming of age as the club they have always wanted to be.
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- Source: https://www.colossusbets.com/blog/psg-winning-the-champions-league-would-upend-europe/
