Champions League: Success not guaranteed by money and star power

Paris Saint-Germain’s Quest for Champions League Glory Continues to Elude Them

Paris Saint-Germain’s hopes of winning the Champions League were crushed once again as they were knocked out of the competition for the fifth time in seven seasons. The team, boasting superstars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, suffered a 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich, following a 1-0 defeat in the first leg last month. The Qatari owners of PSG, who have invested around $1.79 billion in the team since 2011, have promised the club’s fans the coveted trophy, but it seems they will have to wait for yet another season.

Despite having a wealth of talent and financial resources, PSG lacks the heart and fighting spirit to succeed on the biggest stage. Wednesday’s match against Bayern Munich was a clear example of how pedestrian they look against top-class opponents. Unless they improve the basics of the game, they will continue to be a story of consistent failure.

Bayern Munich, in contrast, has a much smaller budget than PSG but has been hugely successful in Europe. They simply tore apart PSG on Wednesday after settling down. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, formerly of PSG, scored the first goal a minute after the hour-mark, while substitute Serge Gnabry made it 2-0 in the 89th minute. Choupo-Moting capitalized on a Marco Verratti blunder to rub salt into PSG’s wounds.

Kylian Mbappe, who is seen as the man who would deliver the Champions League for PSG, was once again missing in action on the big stage. Despite being a player of rare class, he had just 33 touches in the match, and it seems he goes missing when it comes to delivering on the biggest stage. Meanwhile, Neymar’s season is already over as he needs ankle surgery, and Lionel Messi was not at his best.

The PSG brass is likely to have knee-jerk reactions following this defeat, with rumors that Christophe Galtier, who was brought in to give shape to the team, is staring at the exit door. However, what PSG needs is heart and soul, not just talent and financial resources, to succeed in the Champions League.