Since the Qatar Sports Takeover in 2011, Paris Saint-Germain has been on a mission to win the UEFA Champions League. They’ve come close in previous seasons, but they haven’t yet hoised the famous trophy. This season, they face a difficult task, but with a rebuilt squad, they may finally have the talent capable of winning the tournament.
Kylian Mbappé was the big departure from PSG last summer,and many who participate in online football betting are picking Real Madrid to win the Champions League. However, PSG has replaced Mbappé on the left wing with Bradley Barcola, a still under-appreciated attacker despite playing for the France national team and scoring six goals in six Ligue 1 matches this season.
Other than Barcola, who is a superstar in the making, PSG has several other players who may not make headlines but will prove to be invaluable to Luis Enrique as he navigates the Champions League this season. In the League Phase of the tournament, PSG will face Arsenal FC, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, and FC Bayern Munich. It’s the most difficult draw and Les Parisiens will need every player to step up and play to the best of their ability.
Willian Pacho is a name not too familiar to football fans. The Ecuador international arrived late last summer from Eintracht Frankfurt and has previous stops at Royal Antwerp and Independiente. His rise to PSG has been nothing short of amazing, and his ability to step right into the starting lineup speaks to his talent. Alongside Marquinhos, he will anchor the defense and will be pivotal if PSG hopes to reach the latter stages of the Champions League.
Kang-In Lee rarely has a bad performance and could serve as a super sub off the bench for PSG. He’s incredibly talented on the ball and can score when presented with a chance. His best position is as a false nine but he can also play on the wing. So far this season, he has three goals in six Ligue 1 matches and I expect he will score some crucial goals in the Champions League.
PSG’s big signing of the summer was Désiré Doué from Stade Rennais. Several top clubs, including FC Bayern Munich, coveted the 19-year-old, but Doué eventually chose to stay in Ligue 1 and sign with PSG. Much like Lee, Doué is unlikely to start ahead of Barcola or Ousmane Dembélé, but he can be an excellent option off the bench should PSG need a late goal. Doué is similar to Neymar Jr. in that he plays with a flair that brings supporters to their feet. I anticipate that he will have a breakout performance later in the tournament and should one of PSG’s regular starters go down with an injury, I’m confident Doué will live up to the moment.
With Mbappé gone, PSG will need to score goals, and Gonçalo Ramos is the player who could help fill that void. He’s underrated because he’s currently out injured with an ankle injury, but he’s exactly the type of striker PSG needs to capitalize on all of the chances they create from the wings. Once he’s healthy, Ramos should score with regularity and go from underrated to one of the best strikers in Europe.