Champions League: PSG fears the duel with Newcastle

Ousmane Dembélé scored his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain. In the 5-2 win in the top league game against AS Monaco, the attacker darted down the right wing, took a through ball with his heel and slammed the ball under the crossbar from an acute angle. “100 percent Dembélé,” said coach Luis Enrique afterwards about the new signing from Barcelona. Enrique meant that Dembélé can screw up the simple things on the field with outrageous sloppiness; and handles the difficult things with provocative nonchalance. Enrique said: “He is the best player in the world when it comes to unbalancing the opposing defense.”

These are big words after a goal debut at the end of November, but a little exaggeration must be allowed. Paris is experiencing its first season after Neymar and Messi, which has dangerously affected the glamor factor of the Qatar-financed club. Especially since the neighboring Saudis appeared at the same time; with their shopping without limits, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Neymar, and most recently with the strangely unrivaled choice to host the 2032 World Cup. Qatar suddenly seems like a leftover stock against the new darling of all gold diggers.

Given this football-political situation, the Champions League clash on Tuesday at 9 p.m. between PSG and Newcastle United becomes even more explosive. In the first leg, PSG were defeated 4-1 by the European Saudi outpost in their first Champions League participation since taking over. Because AC Milan also recently lost, Paris is in the top-class Group F with six points worse than Borussia Dortmund (7) and hardly better than Milan (5) and Newcastle (4). The other three teams can mainly win in the last two rounds. But Paris Saint-Germain, one of the title favorites, can only lose. The out would be a disaster.

Two billion transfer expenses since 2011

The Qataris don’t want to leave the field without a fight. Before the season, PSG was once again more generous on the transfer market than any other Champions League club. 350 million euros were spent on new signings such as Dembélé, the attacker Randal Kolo Muani, the defender Lucas Hernández and the midfielder Manuel Ugarte. In addition, there is 65 million euros for Gonçalo Ramos, also a striker, which is not due until next summer via a purchase option deal. The total expenditure on transfer fees alone since joining Qatar in 2011 has reached the two billion mark.

In addition to the usual deficit, which will, as usual, be offset by a capital increase, at the end of the season we should be able to look back on more lively football than recently. “We are in a discovery phase and are still far away from what I imagine,” said coach Enrique before the game against Newcastle. But after a bumpy start, his rejuvenated team seems to be on a better path, at least nationally, and has taken over the lead in the table.

Some of Enrique’s principles such as offensive pressing and the high defensive line are increasingly being implemented; in good moments the game appears more fluid and snappy than in the system of Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and seven suppliers. However, the dependence on the goals of Mbappé, who was ultimately loyal to the club after the classic summer theater, remained – 16 in 16 games so far. However, the vulnerability of the defense has also remained, with three regular players, Captain Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe and Nuno Santos, currently out injured.

As always, the verdict on this PSG project will be the Champions League. Abu Dhabi, the neighboring emirate on the Persian Gulf, won it for the first time last season with Manchester City and has a sustainable global position with its City Football Group, which has a stake in 13 clubs. Qatar, on the other hand, has neither the title nor the strategy. The football wheel is turning faster than ever, and soon you could be just a footnote compared to the Saudis in this nouveau riche epic of money and glitter. Mbappé’s contract also expires next summer.

Will the PSG ascend to the European throne at least once before? Against Newcastle and in Dortmund in two weeks, the first priority is to avert an embarrassment.