2024-05-12 05:00:00
DECRYPTION – Groggy after its elimination in the Champions League, Paris has four matches to play before the pin. Starting with the reception in Toulouse this Sunday.
That’s it, it’s over… PSG’s European dreams were shattered against Dortmund (0-1 defeat) on Tuesday, on the verge of the final. Luis Enrique’s players still have four matches to play in 2023-24, three in the league, Toulouse this Sunday (9 p.m.) at the Parc des Princes, during the 33rd day, then Nice (May 15, late match of the 32nd day ) and Metz (May 19, 34th day) on the road, before facing Lyon in the final of the Coupe de France, on May 25, at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve d’Ascq.
“To be honest, it still hurts”, agreed Luis Enrique on Saturday, at a press conference. A rather annoyed Luis Enrique when there was talk of a “failure» a C1… «The result and performance were not up to par, we accept it and we are moving on.“, he assures. Next to a potential first coronation in the Champions League, the stakes at the end of the season seem insignificant. But they are there. It’s up to Parisians to take them up.
Win the Coupe de France
This is the most obvious issue. After the Champions Trophy and the French championship, PSG will aim for the Coupe de France on May 25 against Lyon, in Lille. “We have a season to finish, a treble to achieve”hammered Warren Zaire-Emery on Tuesday evening, Kylian Mbappé evoking for his part “an important objective”. “We have to win the Coupe de France”, added the probable future Madrilenian. Remember that the capital club, record holder of the event with 14 coronations, has not raised the oldest competition since 2021. Two years on a Parisian scale is already a long time. “We must not forget that there is still one title to win, the Coupe de France, it is very important for the club, for everyone. That’s our goal, to be ready and win titles.”Luis Enrique insisted on Saturday, facing the press.
Read alsoAfter-Mbappé, dynamic, environment to strengthen… PSG projects after disillusionment
Dembélé, Mbappé or Barcola king of smugglers?
In addition to the trophy for top scorer in Ligue 1, which can no longer escape Kylian Mbappé (28 goals, 11 more than his first pursuers), the one rewarding the best passer in the championship remains up for grabs. At present, Ousmane Dembélé and Brestois Romain Del Castillo are leading the ranking with eight offerings. Kylian Mbappé is only one length away, with Lille’s Angel Gomes (7 assists), just ahead of six other players, including Bradley Barcola (6 assists). In summary, everything remains to be done. Note that the trophy has gone to a Parisian player five times over the last eight seasons, Angel Di Maria in 2016 and 2020, Neymar in 2018, Mbappé in 2022 (he was also top scorer, a first) and Leo Messi in 2023 . There is a tradition to continue.
Read alsoPSG: welcome to the Park, Real Madrid, Al-Khelaïfi zapped… Five questions after the announcement of Mbappé’s departure
Mbappé on par with Zlatan?
As for «KM», this will be his fifth top scorer title, a record he will share with Carlos Bianchi, Delio Onnis and Jean-Pierre Papin. Currently, he has scored 43 goals in 2023-24. The Parisian record for a season is held by Zlatan Ibrahimovic: the Swedish giant scored 50 times in 2015-16. To see if Luis Enrique will give Mbappé enough playing time to aim for this historic mark… Nothing is less certain. “I will continue to do what I have been doing for three months because I aim to do what is best for the team, not for one player, two or three. Kylian communicated, but I will continue to act in the same way. Tomorrow (this Sunday), will he play? Yes of course. And I will make the best decision, with my free will”he explains. For the rest, the ex-Monegasque is already the top scorer in the club’s history (255 goals), third best passer (96 assists), and holds almost all the records for goals scored at the Parc des Princes, in travel or in all competitions.
How many goals at the end of the season for Kylian Mbappé? Sarah Meyssonnier / REUTERS
Barring any surprises, said Mbappé will also inherit a new title of best player in Ligue 1, the fifth, on Monday during the UNFP Trophies award ceremony. Gigio Donnarumma (best goalkeeper) and Warren Zaire-Emery (best prospect) should also leave the Pavillon d’Armenonville with their hands full. Luis Enrique (best coach) too? The voters will perhaps give the bonus to the Brest surprise and Eric Roy.
Also read: Wet firecracker, regrets, disillusionment… PSG wastes a golden opportunity
Respect the supporters… and the competition
It may seem trivial, but the Parisians will also have to do violence for their supporters. The Parc des Princes will be full this Sunday against Toulouse, but several hundred of them will travel to Nice and Metz. “The supporters are with us and I want to thank them. They have been magnificent from the first minutes of the season until today. I am very proud of our supporters”, said Nasser Al-Khelaïfi on Tuesday. The best way to thank them is by continuing to strip yourself, despite the disappointment. As for the final on May 25, a priori, they will not need to look far for motivation… Besides, whether it is the race for Europe for Nice or the fight for remaining in Metz, Paris has the obligation not to distort the competition from an ethical point of view. Except for the Nice and Metz supporters, who would be delighted to face a Parisian team demobilized between the C1 and the Coupe de France of course…
Also read “The future is for us”: “disappointed” and “proud” at the same time, Al-Khelaïfi sees the glass half full after the elimination of PSG
Continue to travel first
The turnover of Luis Enrique has certain advantages, but not that of rolling into Ligue 1. Parisian records in terms of points (96), goals scored (108), goals conceded (19), goal difference (+ 83) or even victories (30) have not been achievable for a while, especially since they were established when the championship had 20 teams. PSG can nevertheless become the first club in L1 history to finish the championship undefeated on the road. Chick? The Rouge et Bleu have also never lost less than two matches in Ligue 1, that was during the 2015-16 season. For now, they have only lowered their flag once in the championship, at the Parc, against Nice (2-3), in September. Moreover, Luis Enrique’s players are on a series of 22 matches without defeat away from the Park in L1, the longest of its kind in the history of the French championship.
Also read “I understand his decision”: Luis Enrique comments on the departure of the “legend” Mbappé promises a “stronger” PSG next year
Reward young people
So far, PSG has launched four neo-professionals into the deep end, three 17-year-old titis (Senny Mayulu, Zoram Zague, Ethan Mbappé) and Arnau Tenas (22 years old), the former Barça reserve goalkeeper. Others could follow in the final matches of the season. We think in particular of Joane Gadou. Aged 17 but already a French under-18 international, this beautiful 1.95m baby plays in central defense. He is regularly invited to train with the first team and we saw him on the bench three times (Revel, Real Sociedad, Monaco) during the season. When is the premiere? Mayulu, Zague and the youngest of the Mbappé siblings would obviously have nothing against the idea of seeing their capital of minutes played increase in the last matches of the season, particularly in the French championship. Speaking of titis, will Presnel Kimpembe have the opportunity to play a few minutes between now and the end of the season? The 28-year-old French international has not played since February 2023. He is not called up for the match against TFC.
Read alsoChampions League: Vitinha good student, Mbappé ends badly, the dunces Kolo Muani and Beraldo… PSG notebook
What farewells for the departures?
Seven years, goals in spades, records in succession… Kylian Mbappé has perhaps not marked the hearts of supporters as much as Rai, Ronaldinho, Safet Susic, Javier Pastore, Edinson Cavani or even Pedro Miguel Pauleta, but he There is no doubt that he has established himself as the best player in the club’s history. Sunday will be his last match at the Parc under the Parisian tunic. He confirmed this on Friday in a video posted on social networks. Let’s see what reception the Park will give him this Sunday. His little romp with the Ultras on Friday can’t hurt. “I know I’m not the most demonstrative player. I haven’t always lived up to the love you gave me for seven years, but I never wanted to cheat, I always wanted to perform“, he said on Friday.
Keylor Navas will most certainly leave PSG at the end of the season. MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP
For the rest, it’s difficult to guess who will leave and therefore who will also play their last match at the Park. To see what the orientations of Luis Campos and the sports management will be this summer. To see if Campos intends to stay already… The transfer window is obviously a major issue for the club, which is already active behind the scenes in preparation for next season. Various names are mentioned here and there. However, we can say, without too much risk of being wrong, that Keylor Navas, 37, will no longer be a Paris-SG player next season. There is no doubt that the public at the Parc des Princes will pay tribute to him this Sunday. This will also be the case for Michel Montana, who will serve as speaker for the last time, he who took the microphone for the first time in 1998 at the Park.
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