Paris Saint-Germain find themselves in familiar territory following their midweek defeat against Bayern Munich, as a side that is too strong for its domestic rivals in France struggles in the Champions League. There is perhaps a difference this time, however — while PSG have often not lived up to their potential in Europe, this season they appear simply nowhere near as good as the best teams on the continent. Luis Enrique’s side offered little attacking threat in Tuesday’s 1-0 loss in Munich, in which goalkeeper Matfei Safonov was at fault for the goal and Ousmane Dembele was sent off.
PSG have just four points and have suffered three defeats in five games in the Champions League, meaning they sit 25th out of 36 teams.
That leaves them one place and two points outside the qualifying spots for February’s knockout phase play-offs, and they will surely need to win at least two of their three remaining matches to avoid elimination.
Such a fragile position means Luis Enrique is naturally in the firing line, with doubts surrounding his tactics — “The method without any effect,” read one headline in sports daily L’Equipe on Thursday.
In particular, his penchant for playing without a centre-forward since the departure of Kylian Mbappe and the loss of Goncalo Ramos to injury.
Randal Kolo Muani, a big-money signing who was expected to step up following Mbappe’s exit, has become an outcast.
A France regular, Kolo Muani has started just twice all season for PSG and did not come off the bench against Bayern.
Yet Paris have scored only three goals in five Champions League matches, one of which was an own goal.
“To be the coach of PSG is a privilege. The pressure I put on myself is greater than any external pressure,” Luis Enrique said in Munich.
“I am not here just to pass the time. My objective is to win titles and to do so now, not in the future.”
PSG are on course to do that domestically, as they are unbeaten in Ligue 1 and six points clear of nearest challengers Monaco before hosting struggling Nantes this weekend.
At home they average three goals a game with Bradley Barcola their leading marksman on 10. They have lost just one of their last 41 Ligue 1 matches.
France’s other Champions League representatives — Monaco, Lille and Brest — are all doing well in Europe but it is not a great look for Ligue 1 that PSG continue to cruise at home while toiling abroad.
The current vintage is maybe the weakest PSG side since the first season of the Qatari takeover in 2011/12, with the possible exception of 2016/17.
That latter campaign followed Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure and was prior to the arrivals at the Parc des Princes of Neymar and Mbappe.
Monaco pipped PSG to the title that year, and appear the most likely threat to their hegemony again this time.
Player to watch: Hamed Junior Traore
The 24-year-old Ivorian attacking midfielder is surely the signing of the season so far in Ligue 1.
Traore joined Auxerre on loan from Bournemouth after spending the second half of last season at Napoli. And he is the main reason why newly-promoted Auxerre sit a lofty seventh a third of the way through the season.
He has six goals in 10 Ligue 1 appearances, including a last-gasp winner against Angers last weekend.
One more against Toulouse on Sunday and he will match his best-ever tally for a single league season, of seven for Sassuolo in Italy in 2021/22.
Key stats
7 – Brest have suffered as many defeats in Ligue 1 this season as in the whole of the last campaign.
300 – PSG captain Marquinhos could make his 300th Ligue 1 appearance this weekend.
3 – Marseille have conceded three goals in each of their last two home games. They have not done so in three successive home top-flight games since 1962.
Fixtures (times GMT)
Friday
Reims v Lens (1945)
Saturday
Rennes v Saint-Etienne (1600), Brest v Strasbourg (1800), Paris Saint-Germain v Nantes (2000)
Sunday
Montpellier v Lille (1400), Lyon v Nice, Toulouse v Auxerre, Le Havre v Angers (all 1600), Marseille v Monaco (1945)
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