The timing of the announcement was special. While Paris Saint-Germain had an exceptionally expensive vanguard even for Parisian standards, with Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappé, club chairman Nasser al-Khelaïfi said in an interview with Le Parisien In June 2022 that “the time of glitter and flashy bling-bling” was over. PSG had to become a team of players who “want to work, work and work again to make progress.” As a museum director who openly states that he has enough of world -famous artists, while Van Gogh’s exhibition is still ongoing.
The message did not come from a newcomer who wants to deal with the work of his predecessor. Al-Khelaïfi itself was the architect of the series of star ensembles that had given PSG a reputation of proudness and decadence. Since 2011, when the Qatarese state investment fund QSI took over the club, the former tennis buddy of the EMIR of Qatar policy that seemed like an ultrasound of the Galácticos years of Real Madrid, early this century.
Within ten years, PSG spent more than one billion euros on players who, in addition to sporting qualities, were mainly selected on ‘brand value’. David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, for example, came to the Parc des Princes, later Messi, Mbappé and Neymar followed.
In the ‘old’ PSG, money mainly played a role and arrived stars. Like in 2013, when David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic played together. Also in recent years, until 2023, PSG had a vanguard that was mainly on paper – with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé.
Mondain and extravagant
Commercially, the strategy was more or less successful, although at a high price. PSG, previously a mid -engine best known for its violent fans, partly thanks to a slick marketing strategy, an image that adapted to the city: Mondain, Duration, Extravagant. Turnover increased from a modest 100 million in 2010 to more than 800 million euros in 2024. And sporty? PSG almost dutifully dominated the French competition. But the big goal, the Champions League wins, remained out of reach.
It often went wrong spectacularly. Like in 2017, when PSG lost 6-1 in the eighth final at FC Barcelona, after it defeated Barça at home 4-0.
At least as painful, the elimination against Real Madrid was five years later in the quarterfinals. In the home game, PSG was superior (1-0), and the team also took the lead in Madrid. To fully collapse in the second half. This was no longer a coincidence, commentators ruled. Here the character weakness of a team revealed that exactly that was not. PSG was a collection of the best football players in the world, who abandoned each other as soon as it was against.
And so it had to be done with the bling-bling at PSG, Al-Khelaïfi concluded in the summer of 2022. A new technical director came, who started to focus on hungry talents. But world stars with continuous contracts and astronomical salaries cannot simply be chased away.
For example, a joyless season followed, with a championship that was overshadowed by irritations between supporters and frustrated Vedettes who were already with other adventures with their heads. Traditionally, the club flew out in the Kwarfinals of the Champions League, no chance this time, against Bayern Munich.
With the departure of Messi and Neymar in the summer of 2023 and the arrival of coach Luis Enrique, known for his attacking, dominant playing style, the new PSG was only really getting shape.
The club had more often opted for trainers with a clear game conception, such as Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel and Christophe Galtier, but they should have worked with players who had already proven everything and hardly let themselves be direct. Luis Enrique was given access to young players such as Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué and Chvitsja Kvaratschelia. Also not cheap – this five PSG already cost an estimated 250 million euros – but all footballers who still have the peak of their career.
Dynamic and daring
This season, the first without Mbappé, the change in strategy seems to pay itself. Although PSG started with difficulty in the Champions League, the team of Luis Enrique has been in great form in recent months. PSG plays dynamically and daring, with a coherence and energy that were still foreign to the club.
PSG already eliminated two English superpowers in the Champions League. Liverpool and Manchester City had no answer to the formation of Luis Enrique.
And the team can deal with setbacks: in a crucial match against Manchester City, PSG brushed a 0-2 deficit (result 4-2), against Aston Villa (quarterfinals) and Liverpool (eighth final) held the stand under great pressure. “They are the most complete team that we have encountered so far,” said Liverpool coach Arne Slot after PSG had eliminated his team.
Perhaps, but Arsenal is apparently defensively stronger than PSG – the two meet on Tuesday evening in the first game of the semi -final. In addition, the number two of the Premier League dealt convincingly with Real Madrid in the quarterfinals.
Did the season fail when PSG is stranding in semi -final? Maybe for al-khelaïfi and the Qatarese owners, but coach Luis Enrique said earlier in interview with Libération That football is about something else for him. “For us it’s not just about winning, but about winning with an identity. You do winning by growing a football team. So that everyone in France and beyond knows that Paris-Saint-Germain plays in this way.”