Those predicting the demise of PSG after a very slightly underwhelming start to the campaign can hang their heads in shame, because this PSG side is far from done.
The back-to-back European champions continue the defence of their Champions League crown tonight, and they are already looking like the team to beat in this season’s competition.
On Matchday Four, it’s Villarreal who’ll need to rise to the challenge, but is there anything they can do to stop this French machine from motoring past everything in its path?
PSG power
When PSG’s Ligue 1 season began with three games without a win, there were actual questions about whether Luis Enrique’s run at the top was starting to wane.
Well, six weeks later, those doubters are looking rather silly as the Parisins sit at the top of the table both domestically and in the Champions League.
In fact, PSG are now on a nine-match winning streak which includes Champions League victories over Slovan Bratislava, Manchester City and Barcelona.
While in the league, they travel to Spain off the back of a 5-1 thrashing of Le Havre, where Achraf Hakimi scored a hat-trick; yep, that’s the full-back netting trebles.
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Their start in Europe is also already better than their performances in the last two group stages, where on both occasions they needed a play-off to get through to the knockouts before going on to win the competition.
They aren’t even bothering with that false commotion now.
Their attacking unit already has almost 20 goals between them, proving that they are as deadly as ever, but do not need to rely on one player – especially as they let Bradley Barcola go in the summer.
In Ferran Torres, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, they possess the most frightening attack in Europe, but do head to Spain without two of the quartet, with Dembele and Kvaratskhelia missing through injury.
Yet, without them, there’s no fear that this PSG side will do anything but head to the Estadio de la Cerámica ready to make it 10 wins in a row.
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Pain in Spain?
Tasked with trying to prevent it this week is Villarreal.
Eighth in La Liga, coming into the game off a 1-0 home defeat to Espanyol and after being on the wrong end of a 4-3 thriller with Liverpool in their last Champions League clash.
Presenting a case for Iñigo Pérez’s men to be the ones to halt PSG isn’t an easy one, especially given the European champions’ record in Spain, where they have won their four Champions League games – two of which at the Nou Camp.
They have beaten Napoli at home in this season’s Champions League and in Georges Mikautadze have a forward familiar with playing against the French side, having formerly been of Lyon and who’s netted five goals so far this campaign.
The Spaniards should also look back at how, at times, PSG have struggled against a low block; making life difficult with a physical backline could be key to frustrating their opponents.
PSG also lack a real plan B in attack; if somehow their current embarrassment of riches don’t fire, losing Gonçalo Ramos as a focal point in an area they’ve failed to replace.
However, the Yellow Submarine still head into the encounter regarded as the next sacrificial lambs, in what could be a third straight Champions League win for the all-conquering Paris Saint-Germain.
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