Over the past few seasons, certain trends have surfaced that have more or less cost Paris Saint-Germain a chance of achieving their goal of winning the UEFA Champions League. With a new era of PSG football about to begin, I thought I would make a wish list of trends that I hope to see reversed:
- Kevin Trapp, if you’re going to make boneheaded mistakes can you at least keep it to league and domestic cup competitions only?
- Thiago Silva, we need you to stay healthy this season. Sure, we have David Luiz and Marquinhos but without you our defense is severely suspect. Also, stop giving up penalties in the Champions League.
- To Serge Aurier, Hatem Ben Arfa, and Layvin Kurzawa, please don’t get together late at night for a Periscope session at any point during the season.
- David Luiz, try and reduce the errors this season…
- Maxwell, later this month you turn 35 and all I can say is, God bless your heart.
- Marco Verratti and Javier Pastore, if you’re going to get injured this year do it early. We need you for the knockout stage of the Champions League.
- Blaise Matuidi, we love your energy but please try not to run yourself into the ground this year…if you’re with us at all.
- Edinson Cavani, you’re finally getting what you’ve always wanted this season. Make it count.
- Angel Di Maria, you have been outstanding since arriving in Paris last summer. Keep up the assists and add a few goals and someday there will be a statue of you outside the Parc.
- Lucas Moura, your hot and cold play on the pitch is too much for us supporters. A little consistency would be nice.
- Thiago Motta, you’re the elder statesman in midfield and we really need you to continuously step up in the Champions League this season.
- Adrien Rabiot, I hope that you (and your mom) are happy with your playing time and you can finally focus on becoming the best player possible.
- Finally, for Unai Emery and the club as a whole, no more quarter-final exits in the Champions League. It’s getting old and quite frankly, this squad is too talented not to make the semi-finals at least.
Cheers to a great season ahead.
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Photograph by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images