Are Galactico-less PSG in danger of failing to make Champions League knock-outs?
Kylian Mbappe left PSG for Real Madrid in the summer, marking the end of the Galactico era.
France have long dominated domestic leagues but have failed to find success in Europe even with their many star players.
This is partly due to the fact that Messi, Neymar and Mbappe haven’t always been able to play together, and when they have, it hasn’t been as often as they would have liked.
The club now hope a change of status will bring them the success they have never experienced in Europe.
The change was made to focus on youth, with three teenagers starting in the season opener against Le Havre – 16-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye, 18-year-old Warren Zaire – Emery and 18-year-old Yoram Zag – and there are only two players over the age of 25.
In the league, 22-year-old Bradley Bakla has stepped up in the absence of Mbappe. The forward has scored 10 goals in 12 games and leads the scorer list.
However, he is yet to carry that form into the Champions League, failing to score in four European games this season.
“Bakla is under a lot of pressure,” European football expert Mina Ruki said.
“We always look at all their stars. How important is it to have someone who can achieve those goals under pressure?
“Is it a good thing that they’re getting away from this? It’s necessary because of what’s going on in the dressing room, but maybe they need balance.”
Mbappe is undoubtedly a huge loss to PSG in terms of goals, having scored 256 goals in 308 appearances in all competitions during his six years at the club.
France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry said earlier this season that PSG had lost some of its “magic” without Kylian Mbappe but they were now more stable.
“I think they’re a team,” Henry told CBS Sports Golazo. “They are more stable and have less counterattacks. But they still lost Kylian Mbappe.
“It’s very difficult. For example, in a game like this[1-1 draw with PSV last month]Kylian could make it 2-1 or score the winning goal in the final stages – that’s A magical moment where he could turn it into approx.
“You lose some of the magic but the team looks a lot sounder in terms of balance.”
