Two defeats in three games and the reigning European champions are upside down. The PSG content remains good but something is still missing, some edge and some marrow. In his DNA, it’s a lot. A week after an elimination in the Coupe de France against the PFC (0-1) and after this trip to Portugal, the absence of offensive authority is spreading throughout the sector. Between a helpless Bradley Barcola in the area, an Ousmane Dembélé not lively enough and an upside-down Désiré Doué, Paris was unable to transform its domination, surrendering to a second defeat in the competition after Bayern Munich (1-2) at home. Neither sharp nor character. When he lacks one essential quality, he loses another, decisive one. It seems that trouble flies in squadrons.
Eager to end the match with four of its attackers, with the entry of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia 25 minutes from time in place of Senny Mayulu, then that of the criticized Gonçalo Ramos, replacing Barcola, PSG deployed in all directions, like a pinball ball hitting the corners. While Paris was trailing, which was not the idea of these changes, their presence simply made it possible to equalize with a flash from the Georgian (1-1, 79th), specialist in aesthetic firecrackers. But not to win, with a stab at the twilight of regulation time.
To pound is not to score. Paris bludgeoned Sporting (28 shots), more their defense than their goalkeeper, constantly gaining speed and behind their backs. With dizzying possession (75%). But these incessant waves did not lead to clear chances (6 shots on target), due to lack of accuracy in the last sequences, with a Dembélé and a Doué as precise as a kindergarten drawing.
A very worrying inefficiency
This rough draft, this constant way of making his game more complex for the former Rennais, has never allowed Rui Silva to deceive. Once, yes, but Warren Zaire-Emery’s goal following an action finally completed was canceled by the referee after viewing (30th). Another offside header from Ousmane Dembélé (57th) will add to everyone’s annoyance, first and foremost the Parisian players, no longer knowing what to find to force their own lock, their particular way of creating problems for themselves.
The return of inefficiency, already the big problem of the trip to Bilbao (0-0) before Christmas, is causing major problems in the Champions League and threatens its place in the top 8. Faced with a weak Sporting, displaying quite considerable technical waste for a C1 team, Paris has even found a way to liquefy. At the start of a collision between Willian Pacho and Warren Zaire-Emery, the Portuguese led a counter that Luis Suarez was unable to recover from close range. A new technical canvas for Sporting which will have chained them as surely as the SG should have scored three or four goals per hour of play.
But the unthinkable happened, following a corner, the weak point of Luis Enrique’s team. Willian Pacho brought Luis Savez back into play, unmarked, and not twice conciliatory with PSG (1-0, 74th). More than a week after their hiccup against the PFC, the European champions fell in the same way, facing much weaker players, and suffering the same problems. Once is an accident. Twice is a problem.
