PSG in Need of a Big Win Against AC Milan
Paris, France —The phrase “broke the internet” is often an overused piece of hyperbole that media outlets love to trot out whenever something causes an outpouring of reaction online. In the case of Lionel Messi signing with Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, well, that might’ve actually “broken the internet.” The Argentine’s move to the French capital was accompanied by scores of declarations about the future of PSG. With an attacking trio of Brazilian legend Neymar Jr, the sport’s brightest rising star Kylian Mbappé, and one of the greatest players ever in Messi, it seemed like Les Parisiens were poised for dominance. But just two years later, Mbappé is the only one left with PSG. After a promising start to the decade, the French giants now sit in third place in Ligue 1 and are hungry for a Champions League win after getting dominated by Newcastle 4-1 earlier this month.
PSG was drawn into this season’s “group of death” in this season’s UEFA Champions League. Alongside Newcastle, AC Milan, and Dortmund, the Parisians were still expected by many to advance to the round of 16. After defeating Dortmund 2-0, Paris Saint-Germain was utterly and thoroughly outplayed by Newcastle, losing 4-1 in the Magpies first UCL home game in 20 years. Now, second place PSG is set for a matchup with perennial Italian contenders AC Milan tomorrow in Paris. A loss could be pivotal in group standings, as the French side is just one point ahead of Milan and has a worse goal differential. After Wednesday’s match, PSG will still have to travel to both the world-famous San Siro stadium and the raucous Signal Iduna Park.
While PSG still has a talent-filled roster full of names like Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembélé, Marco Asensio, and, of course, Kylian Mbappé, the Ligue 1 champs have struggled at times through the early part of the season. The loss of Neymar Jr. to Saudi Arabia and Messi’s move to the United States has meant that the squad has had to reinvent itself. Along with Mbappé, the trio were responsible for 65% of the team’s league goals in 2022-23, not to mention the three accounted for 32 of PSG’s 40 assists.
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PSG’s quest to find creative replacements both within the team and through the transfer market has proved ineffective thus far. Mbappé’s eight league goals is more than the sum of PSG’s next three highest scorers. Although the squad has handled business in Ligue 1 over the last two games, PSG has already drawn with three mid-table clubs, Lorient, Toulouse, and Clermont Foot (who are now in relegation position). The Parisians have only played one match against a side in the top six in Ligue 1 and that resulted in a 3-2 loss at the hands of Nice. PSG’s lack of experience against upper-echelon teams could be a big factor in this year's Champions League run.
The UEFA Champions League title has always seemed to evade the 11-time French title winners. Les Parisiens have been under constant criticism for failing to turn up in the UCL. PSG has been knocked out in the round of 16 in six out of the last eight seasons. A win against AC Milan would go a long way to keep PSG’s European dreams alive this year. The two teams square off at 3:00 pm ET today.
