Having proven worrying shortcomings in all departments this 12 months, Paris St Germain desperately must get its act collectively if it desires to face an opportunity in opposition to Bayern Munich of their Champions League final 16 conflict subsequent week.
The Ligue 1 leaders have misplaced three video games in 2023, the most recent on Wednesday in a 2-1 defeat at bitter rivals Olympique de Marseille within the French Cup final 16 after they had been overwhelmed by the Provence aspect’s aggressiveness all through.
With Kylian Mbappe out injured for one more two weeks, which means he received’t play in opposition to Bayern on the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, PSG is with no match winner whereas Neymar was vastly disappointing in opposition to Marseille.
Only Lionel Messi up entrance has been as much as his requirements just lately and that won’t be sufficient in opposition to the Bundesliga giants.
“When they get bumped into, nobody really responds. It’s always the same thing: if they can play at their pace, there’s no problem,” former OM and PSG participant Edouard Cisse instructed French sports activities each day L’Equipe on Thursday.
“As soon as the opposing team put on the intensity, they are lost.”
In midfield, PSG was vastly dominated as solely Marco Verratti has the capability to face his floor, and Vitinha, who has been fielded as a playmaker behind Messi and Neymar as Christophe Galtier reshuffled his workforce within the absence of Mbappe, has but to indicate he can put his forwards in the very best positions.
Bayern, as a substitute, has been rediscovering their kind, scoring eight objectives of their final two Bundesliga matches – not an excellent omen for PSG, whose defence has typically been at a loss.
Sergio Ramos might need scored the equaliser on Wednesday however his aggression doesn’t make up for his lack of tempo and poor sense of anticipation and the Spaniard typically leaves Marquinhos on his personal.
The Brazilian, as soon as once more, urged his workforce mates to stand up on Wednesday.
“We need to shut our mouths and work,” he mentioned.
PSG’s finest plan of action may be to dig deep and discover some pleasure forward of a Ligue 1 recreation in opposition to Monaco on Saturday and Tuesday’s match in opposition to Bayern.
“We are disappointed and we are angry,” mentioned keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
If expertise has been missing at PSG currently, anger may take them someplace.
