PARIS — Has the spark faded for Paris Saint-Germain?
It certainly seemed that way as Luis Enrique’s UEFA Champions League winners battled through a 5-4 aggregate playoff victory against AS Monaco. If they still possess the magic that brought them glory last season, they need to showcase it soon.
PSG will encounter either Chelsea or Barcelona in the Round of 16 after overcoming their Ligue 1 rivals. However, their chances of progressing in the tournament appear slim if their recent uneventful performance against Pocognoli’s team continues.
Having led 3-2 from the first leg following an impressive comeback, PSG found themselves trailing after Maghnes Akliouche scored just before halftime. It wasn’t until Mamadou Coulibaly received a red card in the 58th minute that the game shifted back in PSG’s favor.
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Just eight minutes after Coulibaly was sent off, PSG had turned the night around to lead 2-1 thanks to goals from Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, restoring their advantage. However, the fact that it took a red card from one of the lower-ranked teams in Ligue 1 to spark their performance should raise concerns for Luis Enrique.
A year ago, PSG barely made it into the playoffs following a late charge through the League Phase, but they later dominated the Champions League, decimating fellow French side Brest with a 10-0 aggregate score at this stage.
From that point onward, PSG overwhelmed every opponent, defeating Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal before sealing their remarkable Champions League journey by defeating Internazionale 5-0 in the final in Munich.
Luis Enrique had crafted an entertaining and free-spirited team reminiscent of the Barcelona side he led to a Treble a decade ago, which featured legends like Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Neymar.
Ousmane Dembele’s exceptional form could have made him a Ballon d’Or contender, while Kvaratskhelia, Désiré Doué, João Neves, Vitinha, Achraf Hakimi, and Nuno Mendes all played significant roles in establishing PSG as the world’s top team.
If they had managed to defeat Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup final last July, PSG would have claimed every title they contested in 2025.
However, the draining month spent in the United States last summer may have taken its toll on Luis Enrique’s squad. Many players had barely two weeks of rest before they returned to compete in and defeat Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup in August.
Injuries have plagued Dembele this season, along with Doué and Fabián Ruiz, and collectively, PSG appear to be missing the vital ingredient that made them invincible last season.
Their former vibrancy seems to have dissipated, as evidenced in their match against Monaco.
It should not come as a shock, considering PSG has failed to secure victory in 15 of the 38 matches played across all competitions this season. In contrast, they failed to win just 17 of their 65 matches last season, marking a clear decline.
Physical and mental fatigue appear inevitable given PSG’s demanding schedule last year, but there’s also the pressure to achieve greatness again.
Many teams struggle to regain their stride post-major achievements—take Liverpool’s performances in the current Premier League season, for instance. PSG was so dominant last season that it’s unrealistic to expect the same level of performance this time around. Nevertheless, even though they’ve been far from convincing, the season is entering a critical phase, and PSG is still involved in the most prestigious competition.
With Dembele and Ruiz projected to return within one to two weeks, both could be available for the first leg of the Round of 16 against Chelsea or Barcelona.
If Luis Enrique can welcome them back, he will have 10 players from last year’s successful campaign available. The only notable absentee will be goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who transferred to Manchester City.
Thus, the team remains largely intact, with significant matches approaching.
However, there lingers a sense that PSG might be running out of steam, and the Round of 16 could mark the end of their journey.
Could it be that the magic has truly faded?