The winter break is a great time to assess the first half of the season for Paris Saint-Germain. There have been memorable performances, heartbreaking defeats, unfortunate injuries, and many starting lineup choices. But who has been the club’s best player of the season so far?
As things stand, PSG sits atop the Ligue 1 table with a healthy 10-point lead over rivals Olympique de Marseille. Regarding the UEFA Champions League, there’s still more work to be done. Two matches are left in the league phase, and PSG needs a minimum of four points from both. It should be as exhilarating as Swiper Casino to see whether PSG can qualify for the knockout stage.
Luis Enrique is in his second full season and still tinkering to find the optimum starting lineup for both Ligue 1 and Champions League competition. There are a few players, however, who are stalwarts in the squad and consistently perform at a high level. Let’s look at some of the contenders for PSG MVP of the first half of the season.
Bradley Barcola
With the departure of Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid last summer, Bradley Barcola was seen as the heir apparent. The former Olympique Lyonnais winger started the season hot, and at the break, Barcola has 10 goals in 16 Ligue 1 matches. However, he’s yet to record an assist or goal in the Champions League, which is why Barcola is a vital player, but for me, not quite PSG’s most valuable player. He’ll get plenty of opportunities to return to form in the second half of the season, and with the return of Gonçalo Ramos at striker, space should open up for the Frenchman to create.
João Neves
Since his arrival last summer from Benfica, João Neves has been one of PSG’s top players. He’s tied for the league lead in assists with six, and his poise under pressure is that of someone well beyond 20 years of age. Many see Neves as a Marco Verratti replacement, if not better than Verratti. While Neves has two Ligue 1 goals to go with his assists, like Barcola, he has yet to translate those goals and assists in the Champions League.
Achraf Hakimi
For me, Achraf Hakimi is PSG’s most valuable player this season. He’s elevated his game and is widely considered one of the top right-backs in the world. He has five assists and two goals in Ligue 1, and one goal and two assists in the Champions League. No matter the competition, Hakimi has shown up and consistently performed at an elite level. Not only that, but Hakimi has committed the prime of his career to PSG, signing a contract extension until 2029.
