Author of an insipid performance at the Stade Louis II, early Sunday afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain lost heavily to AS Monaco (0-3) on the occasion of the 29th day of Ligue 1. A poor performance that does not yet call into question Parisian supremacy in the league but which highlights the tensions currently reigning behind the scenes of the capital club.
Absent in the collective commitment, generally nonchalant and guilty of a certain lack of desire, the Parisians showed a very sad face, this Sunday, in Monegasque lands. Swept away by Asemist intensity and the double of Wissam Ben Yedder, now top scorer in Ligue 1 with 17 goals, PSG thus suffered their third defeat in a row away from home after the setbacks conceded in Nantes (1-3) then in Nice (0-1). A new slap received after the humiliation experienced in Madrid in the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League (1-3), which does not weaken, for the time being, the first place of the capital club in the championship but which worries . What is more, with regard to the tension observed yesterday on the lawn of the ASM.
A PSG on the verge of implosion!
Taken from the outset by the intensity of the band at Philippe Clement, PSG has rarely defended so much in a meeting. Curled up, like a wounded animal, the Rouge-et-Bleu then returned a copy in the image of their current mental health. Imprecise, fragile, disturbing. How not to evoke in this perspective the flaws seen in the Parisian defense, qualified as “strainer” by brand ? Undisputed leader and captain a few months ago, Marquinhos was, as such, illustrated by approximations of placement, an unusual lack of concentration and sometimes dubious marking (especially on Volland’s second goal). In his wake, Presnel Kimpembe, taken by the vivacity of Ben Yedder on the opener before going at fault against Volland, resulting in the penalty converted by this same Ben Yedder. But beyond the technical weakness that could be attributed to a whole eleven, it is above all the annoyance displayed on the Rock that challenges.
The eyes in the sky, the gestures of humor, the protests were thus common currency in Louis II. Whether it is towards the referee, Benoît Bastien, as evidenced by the two yellow cards addressed to Neymar and Mbappé, unhappy with the decisions taken, but above all frustrated at being guilty of a performance close to the grotesque. Signs of anger also present between teammates and symbolized by Kimpembe’s annoyance towards his midfielder with absent subscribers against ASM. And in this slump, none seemed able to sound the revolt. From Nuno Mendes, who also did not hesitate to show his dissatisfaction several times in his left lane to Kylian Mbappé, undisputed technical leader but clearly accusing the blow in Monaco, it is a whole club which seems, today, capsize in a slump where the head no longer follows. Psychologically scarred since the Madrid fiasco, PSG is then preparing to experience a painful end to the season, which is more in a context far from being in good shape.
A worried and frustrated locker room!
Internally, the rag burns. Leonardo and Mauricio Pochettino find themselves more than ever in the hot seat. Nasser al-Khelaïfi, although he should continue the adventure at the head of PSG, is discussed. Fans growl when some plunge into a form of depression. That of a fan supporting a club that sometimes seems doomed to failure. A deleterious climate which then spreads, like a progressively deadly poison, over an entire club and on all floors. And it is not the last outing of the Parisians in L1 that can thwart this analysis. Marked, disillusioned, frustrated players and others, like Georginio Wijnaldum, who even seem totally off the track. Mix it all up and you get nearly nil sporting performance and a locker room on the verge of implosion. What even weaken a very likely 10th title of champion of France? For Marquinhos, yes.
“It’s a defeat that hurts us, but we have other goals to pursue. We only have Ligue 1 left. We have to display a different mentality, because otherwise we will also lose this title. Despite all our points ahead (12 over OM, editor’s note), if we continue to perform like that, the title is sure to be in danger. The warning signal is here! As soon as we return from selection, we will have to show a different state of mind on the ground., launched the 27-year-old defender after the Monegasque sinking. And if the Brazilian captain expressed his concern, Kylian Mbappé, closer than ever to Real Madrid, did not go through four ways to express his anger: “People will always remember the failure in the Champions League, it doesn’t change anything and it doesn’t matter whether we win 8 or 9 to 0. We have to respect each other, respect the fans, respect our family and loved ones. We must respect ourselves if we have a minimum of self-esteem. It’s a match without and we have to start again but above all respect each other!
The world press is delighted…
If, for his part, Mauricio Pochettino mentioned “sporting shame” after a “unacceptable behavior”, it’s all the press that seizes the tensions currently crossed by the club of the capital. In Germany, “Bild” thus has the impression that “the stars had already given up on the season” after the Madrid fiasco. In Brazil, we mainly point to a club where there is no sports project. “It is a club without identity and without structured management”analyzed Fernando Campos, journalist for “DTT”. A meaningful observation that is also in line with the damning statements made by Thierry Henry, consultant for Prime Videoat the end of the meeting this Sunday.
“It’s been since the start of the season that we’ve seen the same thing, it’s quite often that PSG does that. It’s on repeat. What is the club’s guideline? The jersey must transcend people. What is the guideline? I played at Barça, if you don’t respect what you have to do, you leave, at Bayern, you leave, in the big clubs, you leave, at PSG, do you leave? Ten titles is huge, you must not trivialize it, but you must not do that (…) There is a lack of connection between the club and the former PSG, the former supporters of the club, there is run like a company and not like a club, you have to find that connection with the community.”. It now remains to be seen whether the club of the capital will one day be able to initiate this harmony internally. In the meantime, there are 9 matches left (including the reception of OM) for the Parisians to ensure a happy outcome in L1. 9 dates to lessen the wound, 9 appointments to preserve what is. At the risk of plunging an entire institution into a deep crisis.
