Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 4-2 Strasbourg: 5 talking points as Lionel Messi is unveiled | Ligue 1 2021-22

#3 PSG's defense is a nightmare in waiting

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For a club with ambitions to win the UEFA Champions League, PSG clearly do not have the defense to win the said title. It's often been their defense that's come unstuck in the deep stages of Europe, and this game was a microcosm of their problems.

Mauricio Pochettino has witnessed his team concede to both Troyes and Strasbourg, which ought to leave him fuming. Presnel Kimpembe and Thilo Kehrer lost concentration to allow Strasbourg to score two goals, while Abdou Diallo nearly undid his teammates' good work to gift a backpass that almost resulted in a third.

This defense ought to be enough to win the Ligue 1 title,. But when faced with the very best of Europe in a semifinal or final, it's doubtful whether they can come up trumps.

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#4 Mauricio Pochettino might have issues dealing with PSG's riches in squad depth

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Starting Eric Ebimbe with Rafinha and Danilo on the bench shows just how brave a manager Mauricio Pochettino is when it comes to youth. But even he will acknowledge the abundance of resources he has in attack. It's almost a certainty that Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar will start in a front three (MNM).

However, Mauro Icardi, Julian Draxler and Pablo Sarabia showed they are far better players than the gametime they are expected to have this season. There are already rumors of Icardi's unhappiness and perhaps this is a perfect window for him to remind interested clubs of his quality.

Pochettino will be aware that this is a powder-keg of a situation. He will have to call upon all of his man-managing prowess to ensure he retains his bloated attacking options.

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#5 Kylian Mbappe reminds everyone of his quality

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After a disappointing Euros where his star dimmed a little, Kylian Mbappe could have been forgiven for throwing a strop with the arrival of Lionel Messi. Instead, the Frenchman turned in a performance that showed his ability to play a supporting role.

Mbappe was unselfish throughout the game, toying with Karol Fila and Anthony Caci to set up his teammates. Julian Draxler and Pablo Sarabia were the beneficiaries of his assists, while Mbappe found the net himself as well.

PSG's fourth could not have come at a better time to settle the nerves, with Mbappe proving that he remains a player for the tough moments. He may be asked to play a bit of a subservient role to Neymar and Messi alongside him, but the Frenchman has shown he can be a team player.