Yahoo Sports GFFN Guide | Ligue 1 Season Preview – PSG
Key Man
Needless to say, the vacuum left by Kylian Mbappé’s departure for Spain is unlikely to be filled anytime soon. Over the past few seasons, the man from Bondy was the face of Paris Saint-Germain and a central figure for the club both on and off the pitch – a status justified by his staggering goal haul, but which ultimately contributed to a sour ending.
Last summer’s decidedly Francophone recruitment drive has left the Ligue 1 champions with relatively few international stars to boast of, a first since the Qatari takeover in 2011. Instead, those that will come to the fore this season will be the younger players who have already carved out a well-defined role for themselves in the new-look PSG. Among those who have already seized that chance is Vitinha.
The Portuguese midfielder was, by Luis Enrique’s own reckoning, the champions’ standout player last season. After an inconspicuous maiden season in Paris, spent largely in the shadow of PSG’s star-studded yet dysfunctional attack, Vitinha stepped up to establish himself as the team’s midfield leader in his second term.
As supporters grew increasingly divided over Mbappé’s impending departure, the Parc des Princes latched onto the former Porto man as its new hero, particularly in the second half of the campaign. His tenacious, all-action approach and ability to elegantly wheel away from pressure inevitably encouraged comparisons to long-time fan favourite Marco Verratti. Unlike the Italian, though, Vitinha has a keen eye for goal – he scored nine overall last year, notably finding the net twice over the course of the Champions League tie against Barcelona.
With both fans and manager already won over, the Portugal international looks set to reach new heights both in domestic and continental action this season. At just 24, Vitinha will be one of the senior figures that lead PSG into the post-Mbappé unknown.
Signing to watch
The Parisians have been uncharacteristically quiet on the transfer market so far – not that anyone had really noticed until now, given the French capital has been in an Olympic reverie during these past few weeks.
Teenage defensive midfielder João Neves is the most notable of the three arrivals so far, although Désiré Doué’s arrival’s impending arrival from Rennes will certainly be the eye-catching move of the summer. The 19-year-old Portuguese international, who joined from Benfica for a reported €60m, boasts a Marco Verratti-like profile – a press-resistant intricate dribbler who will allow PSG’s other midfielders to move higher up the pitch.
Given Vitinha’s improved attacking prowess in the latter half of last season, his compatriot’s presence in a defensive midfield role would allow the former to venture up the pitch more often. With Manuel Ugarte seemingly cast out of Luis Enrique’s plans, Neves may find himself catapulted into the starting eleven sooner rather than later.
Squad analysis
Needless to say, the reigning champions remain well-stocked in individual talent across the pitch. Despite the occasional mishap with the ball at his feet, Gianluigi Donnarumma is one of the world’s finest shot-stoppers. His backup Arnau Tenas did not see much playing time last season, but did hold his own during Spain’s gold medal-winning run at the Olympics (barring a brief Luis Arconada impression in the final against France).
PSG’s defence features a mix of established internationals and relative newcomers. Club captain Marquinhos turned in a much-improved showing last season to stave off suspicions of a decline for now, but the chronic injury absences of Presnel Kimpembe, Lucas Hernandez and Milan Škriniar make a senior centre-back pairing unlikely in the opening months of the season. Instead, recent arrivals in Lucas Beraldo and Willian Pacho will likely have the chance to prove themselves in the Parisian defence. Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes make for redoutable attacking outlets on either flank of the backline but have also faced their fair share of fitness issues in recent years.
The team’s midfield contingent is primarily made up of technically proficient operators (Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, Kang-in Lee and Carlos Soler). Given Manuel Ugarte is ostensibly on his way out and Danilo Pereira is usually deployed as a centre-back, the defence-oriented midfield options do look slightly threadbare, with only teenagers Gabriel Moscardo and João Neves at Luis Enrique’s disposal. With two seasons of professional football already under his belt, the 18-year-old senior French international Warren Zaïre-Emery is expected to continue his meteoric rise from the right-sided spot of the midfield three.
The primary doubt this season will concern the strikeforce, though. Having effectively won his battle with Randal Kolo Muani for the number nine shirt, Gonçalo Ramos will now need to prove he can effectively spearhead the Parisian attack to a Champions League-level standard. A supporting cast of Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé at his flanks will undoubtedly take some of that burden off his shoulders – but unless another striker is brought in, it’s the Portuguese forward who will face some early pressure to deliver.
The Manager
A domestic double – PSG’s first since 2021 – and a Champions League semi-final in his first campaign in charge mean Luis Enrique benefits from a level of goodwill that few of his predecessors in the French capital will have been afforded. Leniency from the PSG higher-ups has often proved short-lived in the past, though.
While the Asturian had the foresight to gradually phase out Mbappé in the latter half of last season, replacing the France captain’s forty-odd goals a season will invariably be a concern. It may take a few weeks (even months) for the team to coalesce into a new set-up, but Luis Enrique will relish the opportunity to implement a formation that relies less on individual talent, and more on a discernible, collective-based style of play.
Verdict
While PSG have undoubtedly been left worse off by the departure of their all-time top scorer, the current financial disarray of French football means that mounting a challenge on their dominant position seems a tall order. Les Parisiens’ attacking options are unparalleled in French football, and their squad depth allows for regular rotation – a privilege which the other Ligue 1 sides involved in European football will have to go without.
As always, anything less than a Ligue 1 title will inevitably be deemed a failure for PSG. While it may be too early for a revived Marseille or Lyon to sustain the pace of a title battle, a shaky start to the season for PSG could leave the door ajar to a competitive Ligue 1 campaign.
Ideally, the holders will look to build up a healthy mid-season lead to allow them to focus on their Champions League aspirations, but a prospective 16th title may simply be a formality.
Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Hernandez, Mendes; Warren Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, Ruiz; Dembélé, Ramos, Barcola.
