They have often walked down this street before. Paris Saint-Germain have enjoyed the thrill of a major European victory before. Rarely have they been able to string them together though. It’s the essential manifestation of PSG’s achilles heel. A damning lack of consistency. In the years before Qatar Sports Investments, this could be attributed to a finicky squad punching above its weight. In the years since the takeover to the pernicious frailty of their star’s psyches. In summation, this is not a club that has ever handled success well.
Trace back to their most recent history. Les Parisiens had just stunned the world with a 4-0 victory against FC Barcelona at the Parc des Princes. The old stadium must have still been shaking in it’s foundation when lowly Toulouse FC came for the very next game. That game resulted in a 0-0 draw that saw a frustrated PSG once again drop points in Ligue 1, two of ten that they would drop in their fortress last season. Some would tend to gloss over the fact but this occurrence was simply another example of Les Rouges et Bleus’ inconsistency tripping them up.
For Paris to truly become an elite European club. For Paris to shake off the disappointments of past QSI-led campaigns, they must solve their age old quandary. Saturday’s game against FC Girondins de Bordeaux at the Parc is not just a game, it is part two of what PSG started on Wednesday night against FC Bayern Munich. A draw will not be good enough, PSG must outgrow this mentality. Low block, two days rest, substitutes starting, an international break, none of it can matter.
PSG must look to the team they just demolished, Bayern Munich, for the blueprint. The Bavarian machine has been grinding for more than half of a century, based on consistency of play, and the will to destroy. Whether they destroyed or not, that was the intent. Paris Saint-Germain to be a major European power must follow up a major European win with an equally dominant domestic performance that leaves no doubt as to who the top dog in Ligue 1 is. Because in case you haven’t noticed, AS Monaco is only one point behind PSG after seven games. Les Monegasque will not just concede the championship, PSG will have to take it from them. And that begins with another statement on Saturday against Bordeaux and the precocious Malcolm.
This is not to throw cold water on what was a magnificent performance on Wednesday night. This is more a reminder that UEFA Champions League-winning teams take momentum and use it to create even more momentum. They are not satisfied with just one big win, they want to win so many big games that for them, winning big games becomes a semi-regular almost boring occurrence. That means beating Bordeaux on Saturday, not slipping up against Celtic FC or R.S.C. Anderlecht in the Champions League, and eventually winning the group. For PSG these results would be the first evidence of a new, positive, tougher mentality. Anything else would be a step back towards the all to similar. Winning should beget more winning, as opposed to begetting complacency.
Subscribe to our podcast (iTunes) (Google Play) (Stitcher) and follow us on Twitter @PSGTalk
