The Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., and Kylian Mbappé attack at Paris Saint-Germain didn’t work out. PSG struggled domestically by barely winning Ligue 1 last season and failed to get past the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
Furthermore, last season, the capital club didn’t win their Champions League group, as that honor went to SL Benfica. The Portuguese club’s manager, Roger Schmidt, took a shot at the trio, having played PSG twice. Schmidt notes what makes Manchester City different than the French giants.
“At City, the attacking players are not lazy,” Schmidt said. “They are always after the ball and make the difference because they have individual quality.
“If you see PSG with Messi, Neymar and Mbappé, they don’t do anything to win the ball back. With that mindset, they can win Ligue 1, but in international football, we need everyone.”
🗣️ Roger Schmidt, técnico do Benfica:
"No City, os jogadores de ataque não são preguiçosos. Estão sempre atrás da bola e fazem a diferença porque têm qualidade individual."
"Se virem o PSG de Messi, Neymar e Mbappé, eles não fazem nada para recuperar a bola. Com esse pensamento… pic.twitter.com/4Io6NEjuJV
— Sala12 (@OficialSala12) September 9, 2023
PSG likely knew this summer it had to change its philosophy. As a result, they said goodbye to Lionel Messi, who left as a free agent, while Neymar went to Al-Hilal for a €90 million transfer fee.
The Parisians have put Mbappé at the center of the project and surrounded him with French talents like Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembélé. Nonetheless, the main question surrounding the 24-year-old will be whether PSG has done enough to keep him long-term.
