The specter of another disappointing Champions League exit hangs over Paris Saint-Germain after a 3-2 home defeat in the first leg left them struggling to turn around their quarter-final clash against Barcelona in the second leg. on Tuesday.
At first, no one realistically expected this PSG team, in transition with a rejuvenated squad following the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar last year, to go on and win the Champions League this season.
But the realization that Kylian Mbappe would not stay beyond the end of his contract after this campaign helped focus minds, with the superstar striker informing the club of his plans following the round of 16 victory over Real Sociedad.
Then came the draw for the round of 16 and semi-finals, which presented the French champions with a favorable path to reaching the final.
Luis Enrique’s side, who were unconvincing in their group qualification but reached the first leg against Barcelona after a 27-game unbeaten run spanning five months, were saved from any prospect of facing Manchester City, Real Madrid , Bayern Munich or Arsenal. before the final.
A victory against a Barça team that is not the force it once was would create a semi-final draw against Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund, the kindest draw possible, even if neither team could be overlooked.
However, PSG’s performance against Barcelona last Wednesday made it clear that Luis Enrique’s team is far from being the complete team and that their most important player is not in his best form.
Mbappe has scored 39 goals this season and the Parisians need him in their game if they are to go all the way and end the French captain’s seven-year stay at the club by winning European football’s biggest prize for the first time.
But he didn’t play well in the first game against Barcelona, when PSG’s goals came from Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha as he worked at left-back.
It raised questions about Luis Enrique’s handling of the 2018 World Cup-winning striker.
He has only played a full 90 minutes once in Ligue 1 in seven games since informing the club of his exit plans, with the manager regularly insisting he needs to prepare for a future without Mbappe.
– Donnarumma doubts –
Further back, Gianluigi Donnarumma’s error-strewn display in the first leg was just the latest example of the Italian goalkeeper’s weaknesses being exposed at the highest level.
Donnarumma was also not helped by the defense in front of him, with Lucas Beraldo – the 20-year-old Brazilian signed in the January window – playing like a young defender who had never featured in such a big Champions League. game.
“The small details made the difference and there are things we cannot accept in the second leg,” said captain Marquinhos after the game in Paris, referring in particular to Barcelona’s first and third goals.
“We have no choice. We have to win there.”
Exiting in the quarter-finals would be much the same as PSG are now, but it would be a disheartening way for the Mbappe era to come to an end, a missed opportunity.
Not that they should give up hope – after all, Luis Enrique was in charge of Barcelona when they defeated PSG in the round of 16 of the competition in 2017, despite losing 4-0 in the first leg.
Barça qualified by winning 6-1 in the second leg, although they had home advantage in that second game.
PSG – who did not play in the national championship at the weekend – should also be much stronger on Tuesday, with Achraf Hakimi, as influential a striker as he is at right-back, returning from suspension.
Mbappé may also feel he has something to prove and if he plays that night, anything will be possible.
“I have no doubt that we can turn the situation around and that we will. That is my objective,” said Luis Enrique.
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