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Before PSG – Real Madrid – A year to seek, 35 days to find: Paris and Mauricio Pochettino facing the emergency

Five weeks, 35 days. This is the time that separates Paris from the most important meeting of its season. As every year, the Parisian exercise will be judged on its course in the Champions League and the prospect of finding Real Madrid in mid-February in the round of 16 does not bode well. Since the start of the season, Paris has been trailing a curious paradox. The vice-champion of France has free rein in Ligue 1 at the end of a first part of the exercise where no one has been able to keep up. However, it combines questions, uncertainties and, of course, doubts. Will this PSG, transfixed on every Lyon incursion during the first hour of play at Groupama Stadium, be able to resist the master in the matter, Real Madrid?

Kylian Mbappé against OL

Credit: Getty Images

Until now, PSG has been protected by its accounting results. In Ligue 1, there was him and the others. With eleven points ahead, we can not say that his lead is now disputed. But Paris remains on four draws in its last five outings in the league with two points torn in stoppage time in Lorient (1-1) and Lens (1-1), a big hour to endure the events in Lyon (1-1) and 90 minutes without thrills against Nice (0-0). In recent weeks, the accounting reality has caught up with that of the field as if the result could no longer hide the shortcomings. The Parisian game, devoid of any collective expression and control, continued its slow tumble without revolt, without a sense of urgency. After all, why bother when the title of champion already awaits the Parisians on a plateau?

Paris disease, comfort

Paris today suffers from an illness that has already won out in the Champions League: that of comfort. He no longer knows how to hurt himself, spends his weekend giving the bare minimum and hopes for a spectacular metamorphosis in C1 to meet his goals. He has already achieved such a feat, last year for example when he lost to Lorient, Monaco or Lille in the league while outclassing Barça and leaving the Munich favorite from the C1. It is his fantastic individualities, Mbappé and Neymar in particular, which allowed him to spend the winter without trouble in Europe.

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Imagining a copy and paste in 2022 is dangerous. Because individualities are much less effective. Mbappé and Marquinhos remain infallible life insurance policies. But between repeated absences and uncertain forms, Neymar and Lionel Messi have only scored nine goals between them in half a season. Of course, their awakening could intervene against Real but by dint of waiting, doubt is allowed. If Paris only lives by the brilliance of its individualities, as it seems to be the case, the level displayed by Messi and Neymar almost condemns it. And that of the second knives from Leandro Paredes to Ander Herrera does not really invite blissful optimism.

Permanent DIY and recruits in question

Permanent tinkering, especially in midfield, places this team in permanent instability. She had six months to integrate Sergio Ramos, Lionel Messi, Achraf Hakimi, Georginio Wijnaldum and Gianluigi Donnarumma and come forward as the ultimate favorite in the Champions League. Not only has his status never seemed so fragile, not only, apart from the Italian doorman, the recruits have all disappointed but, in addition, the six months have rather marked a collective regression.

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“It’s difficult to talk about progress, because in football, everything is very subjective. The circumstances are what they are. We talk above all about the result to draw an analysis”, tried to explain Mauricio Pochettino after the draw in Lyon. Problem, the PSG coach can no longer even use the results as a shield. Main responsible for the situation, the Argentinian, with such a poor record that one wonders how he has been able to survive so far the intransigence of QSI in matters of coach, does not breathe anything, gives no direction, does not emanate any collective certainty. After a year of searching, he has 35 days to find. Good luck.

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