Lionel Messi at PSG – ‘It’s a failure, that simple’: Expert analysis of project with superstars struggling

“Just add three letters to Paris, and you have paradise.” These are the words of celebrated French author Jules Renard.

Unfortunately for Renard, or perhaps fortunately, he never lived to see the trials and tribulations of modern-day Paris Saint-Germain season after season.

Although on course for a ninth Ligue 1 title win since their high-profile takeover by Qatar Sports Investment in 2011 and the riches that came with it, there is still a feeling that the team has underachieved in that time, especially given their underwhelming performances in the Champions League.

Having reached just one final during their ownership by QSI – a defeat to Bayern Munich in 2020 – there have been repeated failures year-on-year, including this season’s exit, again at the hands of the German side.

To assess the current state of things at the club, Eurosport France’s Cyril Morin breaks it all down.

A Messi situation

The deep pockets of PSG’s owners meant that they were virtually the only club in world football that could afford the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner when he shockingly left Barcelona in 2021.

For many, his signing was perhaps the biggest statement of intent for a team finally ready to conquer Europe. Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe? Together? Unstoppable, right?

Well, as we know, that hasn’t been the case, and despite his history, his vast accolades and even his contributions in a PSG shirt since his arrival, the Argentine is unthinkably the lightning rod for some fans’ frustration, with a section of the crowd booing his name ahead of the Rennes debacle.

“To be honest, it wasn’t the full stadium that booed him,” admits Morin, who explains the reason behind the anger.

“The story is simple. He’s seen as the symbol of PSG’s strategy that hasn’t worked for years but still continues: more stars, less team spirit. Last year, Messi and Neymar were booed. The Brazilian is ‘lucky’ to be out for the rest of the season as he has been seen as being way more problematic than Messi for years now.”

Messi has contributed 18 goals and 17 assists in all competitions this season, which is a more than impressive return and an improvement on the 11 goals and 15 assists from his debut campaign.

However, the kind of big star-making moments he produced at Barcelona, and just a few short months ago at the World Cup where he led his country to victory, have been lacking in Paris, a fact not lost on the locals.

“It’s a failure, that simple,” Morin says, assessing Messi’s time in the capital. “His best moment at PSG remains his goal against Man City in the Champions League group stage last year.

“After that, he missed a penalty against Real Madrid (a tie in which PSG ended up being eliminated over two legs), was very quiet in Ligue 1 last year, and was a ghost against Bayern Munich in the first and second legs. It’s becoming a problem.

“About his future, there was a consensus and even a verbal agreement for him to stay after the World Cup in Qatar. Since then, there has been no concrete evolution.

“L’Equipe says that PSG are maybe reconsidering his renewal, but that decision will be made in Doha. Which says a lot, also, about the internal functioning at PSG.”

Galtier ‘didn’t bring what he was supposed to’

It’s not just Messi who is in the spotlight. Manager Christophe Galtier, who stunned PSG by leading Lille to a historic Ligue 1 title at their expense in 2021, was brought in, along with his former Sporting Director, Luis Campos, as part of a strategic approach to improve things both on the pitch and in the transfer market.

But as Morin explains, things haven’t gone to plan in either area, which could spell trouble for both men.

“They were supposed to be a duo,” says Morin. “Football direction for Campos, squad management and tactics for Galtier. Galtier was a big hope at the beginning of the season because of his tactics (3-4-3), the behaviour of his players on the pitch and his communication. But lately, it’s been very complicated in all these areas.

“It looks like he’s not capable of motivating his players. The lack of character of this team, something that has been evident for so many years, proves that he didn’t bring what he was supposed to.”

On Campos, Morin added: “He was confronted with the same problems Leonardo or Antero Henrique (former sporting directors) had. Because of Financial Fair Play, they have to sell players that don’t contribute anything, but nobody wants these overpriced players, so PSG can’t make any major changes in the team.

“This summer, several unwanted players with HUGE salaries such as Leandro Paredes, Georginio Wijnaldum and Mauro Icardi will return from loans. Good luck getting rid of them…”

The cycle will continue as long as Qatar makes the decisions

The Champions League exit to Bayern was naturally seen as a huge blow, but perhaps also a wake-up call for the owners, who won’t want to pass up this opportunity to make PSG a true superpower in the game. Will the ‘project’ continue in its current guise or will there be a change of approach? With the decision-makers seemingly more concerned with image and simply attracting star names, both on and off the pitch, Morin isn’t so sure…

“I would say the first option, but it is still early to judge. The most likely option is this one: Galtier is fired, a new coach comes in. After a good start to the season, PSG believes they can win the Champions League, but they get knocked out… and the cycle goes on. As long as these owners are making the crucial decisions, it’s difficult to imagine any structural changes.”

He adds: “For me, Messi-Neymar-Mbappe can’t work in Europe. Three players who don’t defend are not reliable. PSG have to choose… but they can’t. They wanted to sell Neymar but nobody wants him and he wants to stay. They can’t sell Mbappe because he is the project. So Messi is the only option to make room.

“But the owners love selling shirts and having Kim Kardashian at PSG. So having Messi is crucial. As long as marketing rules…”