Paris Passes First Champions League Test Under Luis Enrique
It was a team performance from Paris Saint-Germain as they dominated Borussia Dortmund at the Parc des Princes.
Unlike seasons gone by, Paris Saint-Germain isn’t one of the favorites to win the UEFA Champions League this season, and to be honest, fans and pundits alike don’t know what to make of this rebuilt squad led by superstar Kylian Mbappé.
On Tuesday night at the Parc des Princes, PSG faced its first challenge in the so-called Group of Death as they welcomed Borussia Dortmund to the French capital. It seems silly to say, but it was a must-win for PSG. Dortmund are in a rebuild themselves and could be considered the “weakest” in the group. Three points at home was essential, and that’s just what they did by defeating the German club 2-0.
PSG’s new manager, Luis Enrique, has Champions League pedigree from his time at FC Barcelona, and it showed. He went with the strongest lineup possible and stuck with his traditional 4-3-3 formation. PSG dominated possession (69%), as Dortmund was more than willing to sit back and defend. PSG completed 689 passes compared to Dortmund’s 315, and the scoring chances came frequently, with PSG recording an xG of 2.44.
The man of the match for Paris Saint-Germain was Vitinha. He was so active in the midfield and should have opened up the scoring in the 19th minute when his shot ricocheted off the post. His first touch was Lionel Messi-esque all night, and while he didn’t get on the scoresheet, his assist to Achraf Hakimi in the second half to double PSG’s lead was something special. He collected a poor clearance from Dortmund and dribbled into the box with several fakes before playing a one-two with Hakimi. From there, the Morocco international faked out a defender and scored with the outside of his right boot.
The player who perhaps didn’t have his best game was the newcomer Randal Kolo Muani. In 80 minutes, he only took on two shots, was dispossessed twice, and created one scoring chance. His passing was off, and 30 touches is far too low in a match where PSG dominated possession. He’s only just come into the team, so I wouldn’t press the panic button, but with much tougher matches on the horizon, Kolo Muani will need to get acclimated quickly.
The transfer speculation around Mbappé may have cooled, but his scoring certainly hasn’t. In the 49th minute, the Frenchman converted a penalty for his eighth goal in five matches. The penalty decision might have been harsh on Dortmund, but it was clearly a handball by Niklas Süle in the box. PSG played some attractive football, with Ousmane Dembélé playing a cross for Mbappé, and when you create your chances, sometimes you get awarded a lucky penalty.
Overall, this was a team performance and a team win. For the last few seasons, PSG has won games like this in painstaking ways. Supporters sat and watched players walking around the pitch, slow build-up play, defensive mistakes, and waiting for Mbappé to make a bit of magic happen to escape with the victory.
Now, Luis Enrique has implemented a true strategy, and the players are pressing, tracking back, and working together to create opportunities. There’s a renewed passion in Paris, and it’s apparent to anyone watching that this is a drastically improved team compared to last season.
To underscore this point, in the 66th minute, Nico Schlotterbeck tacked Dembélé from behind and was quickly swarmed by PSG players who were looking to get physical. There’s something to be said about sticking up for your teammate and showing that you won’t back down. It doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but stuff like that matters in the Champions League.
As things stand, PSG leads Group F, with AC Milan and Newcastle United settling for a scoreless draw. PSG’s next Champions League match is on October 4, where they’ll travel to St James' Park to take on Newcastle. It will be the first European night in that stadium in 20 years, so Paris should expect an atmosphere unlike any they’ve experienced before. If they can escape that cauldron with three points, it would be validation that this new era of PSG is heading in the right direction.