We’re still unpacking what occurred at the Parc des Princes one week ago. Paris Saint-Germain needed an inspired performance to advance past Real Madrid in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League and like so many seasons before, they came up woefully short.
The gulf in class was visible. Real Madrid’s 5-2 aggregate win over PSG will no doubt result in major changes at the club but what can supporters expect to see this summer? On the latest episode of PSG Talking, host Dave welcomes Guillaume, Matt, and Louis for an insightful, yet somber, reflection on the current state of Paris Saint-Germain.
The most pressing concern is obviously the manager. It’s pretty much an accepted fact that Unai Emery will not be on the sideline next season but is the Spaniard truly to blame for the club’s Champions League shortcomings? Did he get the tactics wrong or should the players shoulder more of the blame? Regardless, Emery is a lame duck manager entering the final few months of his career in the French capital. With that in mind, who might replace him? Carlo Ancelotti, Massimiliano Allegri, Mauricio Pochettino, and Antonio Conte are the leading candidates for the job but with the FIFA World Cup in Qatar on the horizon, PSG is running out of time to win the Champions League and they need to hire the right person for the job and not necessarily the biggest name.
Once the manager situation is sorted out, expect club chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director, Antero Henrique, to make major changes to the current squad. Marco Verratti is a talented player but after yet another implosion in an important match, the Italian is becoming more of a liability than an asset–and he’s not the only one. Angel Di Maria is another player who may be on borrowed time at PSG following his lackluster performance against Real Madrid. Several other players simply don’t have a place in the squad and could be shipped off this summer to help generate funds to comply with Financial Fair Play. By the start of next season though, PSG should have an improved midfield, defensive reinforcements, and a manager who knows how to utilize all of the above.
As always, the best way to contact us is via Twitter at @PSGTalk, and be sure to subscribe and rate the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and Spotify. Thanks for listening!
