'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgf/2gAIAQEAAAAAm5//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG/9oACAECEAAAAD//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAEDEAAAAB//xAAfEAADAQACAQUAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEABEGBRMiMnH/2gAIAQEAAT8Az+M46yV/YAIteRYKoKpFC0m/WP25h8L9N24s+rTout7zWtAkp9BmHZ6+PP/EABkRAAIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAAQh8P/aAAgBAgEBPwB1xoGHtn//xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAJB/9oACAEDAQE/ALqbP//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Another year, another European collapse for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The French giants must be beginning to wonder if they will ever get their hands on the UEFA Champions League trophy.
This time, Karim Benzema and Real Madrid were their tormentors. The Spanish giants snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in 17 chaotic second-half minutes in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie on Wednesday (March 9).
PSG's much-vaunted summer signings have not paid dividends
By the time the 2021-22 season began, many thought PSG had one of the greatest transfer windows of all time. Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Georginio Wijnaldum all arrived on free transfers. Achraf Hakimi came in from Inter Milan on a big-money move (€66.5million).
However, the French have now been eliminated in the Round of 16 stage of both the Coupe de France and the Champions League. It's safe to say things have not gone according to plan. The ruthlessness of the club's board and executives while dealing with failures and underachievers is no secret. So it is certain heads will roll.
On that note, ahead of an imminent summer of change in Paris, we take a look at five pressing problems the French giants need to address:
#5 Mauricio Pochettino's future
Although PSG director Leonardo backed Mauricio Pochettino after the Real Madrid defeat, the Brazilian's statement was anything but reassuring.
"We must stay together. Pochettino is still in the project for this season. This is not the time to think about that," said Leonardo.
It would hardly be a surprise to see Pochettino sacked at the end of the campaign. Performances in the Champions League are the primary metric against which the success of the club's managers is measured. A Round of 16 exit is unlikely to be tolerated.
The Argentinean, who made 95 appearances for PSG during his playing career, has managed the club in 73 games so far, winning 49 and losing 14. His time in Paris has yielded a Coupe de France and a Trophee des Champions, both of which came last season.
The club are top of the Ligue 1 table, 13 points clear of second-placed Nice and are cruising towards yet another league crown - their eighth in ten years.
Yet, there are serious questions over Pochettino's ability to manage the egos in PSG's dressing room and his tactics. The Paris-based club have often failed the eye test this season, appearing unconvincing for large spells and grinding out results, courtesy of overwhelming individual performances.
Despite their lead at the top of the league table, the club are on track to record their second-lowest goal tally (currently on 56 goals, 1.9 per game with 11 fixtures left) since 2013-14 (lowest: 75 goals in 2019-20).
They also lost this year's Trophee des Champions to Lille and were eliminated from the Coupe de France in the Round of 16 by Nice on penalties.
#4 Fix their leaky defence
"Attack wins you games, and defences win you titles," said Sir Alex Ferguson. Despite their wealth of attacking options, it's clear PSG's defense this season isn't quite up to the mark.
The French club have conceded 36 goals in 39 games across competitions so far, including 24 in Ligue 1 (0.88 per game). With 11 league games to go, they are on course to concede nearly 34 goals. That would come dangerously close to their worst defensive record (35 goals conceded in 2018-19) since 2014-15.
The signing of Sergio Ramos is proving to be a disaster, while Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes seem better going forward than defending. The likes of Juan Bernat and Layvin Kurzawa are also on the verge of leaving Paris.
In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Marquinhos is PSG's only world-class defensive player. The Ligue 1 club would perhaps be better served by investing large amounts in their backline rather than glamorous options up front.
#3 Prepare for Kylian Mbappe's departure
Despite the presence of Lionel Messi and Neymar, Kylian Mbappe has been PSG's best player this season, and by some distance. The 23-year-old has 25 goals and 17 assists in 35 games and has been their primary attacking force.
If the nature of the French giants' early Champions League exit wasn't bad enough, the fact that it came against Real Madrid makes it even worse. The defeat is likely to be looked back upon as the final nail in the coffin of Mbappe's time in Paris, with the Spanish giants set to pounce.
It has been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, as seen in the below tweet, that Los Blancos offered a mammoth £150million for Mbappe's services last summer. It was a ridiculous sum, considering the Frenchman had just one year left on his contract at the time.
Recent rumours claim PSG's attempts to convince Mbappe to sign a new short-term contract have been unsuccessful. It now appears inevitable he will leave Paris at the end of the season, and the French giants could receive absolutely nothing in return.
#2 Is Leonardo's position safe?
There is enough blame to go around for PSG's current state of affairs. While Pochettino and the players must shoulder some responsibility, there is a convincing case to be made that the French giants' troubles start at the very top.
In the aftermath of the second leg defeat to Real Madrid, the conduct of club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo came under the scanner. It is the latest in a series of incidents to suggest there is a lot going on behind the scenes in Paris.
Leonardo, who was appointed in 2019, has reportedly fallen out with two managers - first Thomas Tuchel (as pe Goal) and now Mauricio Pochettino (as per talkSPORT). Meanwhile, Al-Khelaifi's micromanagement, lack of patience and decision making have also been questioned. In fact, rumours claim Leonardo and Al-Khelaifi aren't on the best of terms themselves.
As club president, Al-Khelaifi's position is probably secure. However, one must wonder how long Leonardo, with his combative personality, will be retained by PSG, especially if the club continues to fail in Europe.
#1 Could Lionel Messi and Neymar leave Paris come the end of the season?
With Mbappe already on the brink of leaving Paris, could the two members of PSG's superstar trio follow the Frenchman on his way out?
Neymar's willingness to leave Paris is no secret. In a recent documentary titled "The Perfect Chaos," the Brazilian confirmed that he asked the French club to sell him back to Barcelona in 2019.
The forward is now 30 and under contract till 2025. However, Neymar's injury issues are a real problem for both parties.
He has missed 104 games since arriving at the Parc de Princes in 2017 and is obviously not getting any younger. While it is impossible to say for sure, there is a chance the forward's value could only continue to fall as he goes deeper into his 30s. Could PSG cut their losses and sell the most expensive player in the world?
Lionel Messi's displeasure, meanwhile, has been apparent for one and all to see. The Argentinean superstar has cut a forlorn figure ever since he arrived at PSG. The legendary playmaker looks a shadow of his former self and is experiencing a shocking drop in form.
With seven goals and 11 assists in 25 games this season, Messi was ineffective in the Champions League tie against Madrid and missed a crucial penalty in the first leg. There are whispers of a potential return to Barcelona, who are beginning to recover in terms of finances and performances on the pitch after a shocking 2021 calendar year.
