FT French Ligue 1 Preview: PSG must win the UEFA Champions League to keep Neymar

The Brazilian sensation left Barcelona in a bid to step out of Messi’s shadow and achieve his goals of winning the Ballon d’Or at the French giants Paris-Saint Germain. He hoped that the club’s recruitment policy would give him an edge when the tournament commences and that they would be able to recruit the best players who would be able to compete at the highest level. Last season, PSG failed to make it past Real Madrid in the round-of-16. This year, they will have to do better than that if they are to stand a chance to fend off interest from the likes of Real Madrid in keeping their star player at the club. In this feature story, we look at how the club can be able to win the title.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Neymar of PSG embrace at half time during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain at Bernabeu on February 14, 2018 in Madrid, Spain.

(Feb. 13, 2018 - Source: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images Europe)

The recruitment of the Italian and Juventus legend, Gianluigi Buffon to beef up their goalkeeper position is nothing but a positive signing for the club. The legend brings his vast amount of experience to a squad that looked out of character when they were dispatched by Real Madrid last year. PSG needed a commanding number 1, and they have got their man who will organise his defence and hopefully prevent the best players in the world from scoring past him. Apart from that, he also brings his winning mentality. Buffon won the last 7 Serie A titles in a row with Juve and is also a 2006 FIFA World Cup winner. He has been around for a long time and knows how to compete. The UEFA Champions League title is a trophy that has eluded him, and he will be as hungry as Neymar to win it this year.

Football is a team sport. Neymar cannot win the trophy on his own. He will need his teammates to bring their A game to the table if they really want him to stay at the Parc des Princes. This means that players like Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani have to bring their World Cup form to Paris and help Neymar push for the title. The former is a teenage sensation who shined at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia but was went hiding when PSG faced Real Madrid in the 2017/18 season. He should be looking to grow from that experience and carry his form into the coming season. Cavani was also at the focal point of Uruguay’s success at the tournament before picking up an injury that kept him out of the squad that was eliminated by France. The whole team has to be at their best this season and play to Neymar’s strengths if they want him to lead them to European glory.

Neymar of Brazil reacts after a missed opportunity during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Brazil and Belguim at Kazan Arena on July 6, 2018 in Kazan, Russia.

(July 5, 2018 - Source: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Europe)

There are rumours that PSG wants to sign N’Golo Kante from Chelsea this season. The 27-year old is a midfield destroyer who has been at the heart of successes of the best teams in recent years. He first led his club Leicester to the EPL title in 2015/16 before winning it again the following year with Chelsea. This year, he was trusted with the defensive responsibilities in the French team that lifted the 2018 FIFA World Cup trophy. N’Golo Kante is famous for stopping Messi, arguably the world’s best player, in his tracks and preventing Argentina from making it to the quarter-final stage. PSG need a player like Kante who could strike a partnership with Marco Verratti in the spine of the French team and protect the backline. Whether the club will actually get to sign him from the English side remains to be seen, but it is clear that they would stand a better chance of winning the most prized asset in European club football if they have the defensive midfielder on their books.

Sometimes a good run in the tournament requires some bit of luck. The draw did not favour the club in the previous season. PSG were unfortunate to face the defending champions in the round-of-16 in the 2017/18 season . This year, they would want to avoid the biggest teams in the tournament at the early stage as they build momentum. However, some argue that you have to beat the best teams in the competition to be called the best. What do you think that PSG has to do to keep Neymar at the club after this season?

Monaco draw brings PSG closer to Ligue 1 Title

Ligue 1 defending champions Monaco, drew 1-1 against Stade Rennes. Gnagnon scored the opener for Rennes on the 20th minute and his celebrations were made shorter by a quick comeback from Monaco who scored through Lopes 9 minutes later. Rennes continued to dominate the game and almost found a winner when Benjamin Andre headed against the post as well as Hunou heading his effort wide off the target. This result means that Monaco have failed to reduce the distance between them and rivals Paris Saint-Germain in the season run-in. PSG have now been gifted the opportunity to win the Ligue 1 this weekend if they manage to defeat their opponents Saint-Etienne provided that Monaco lose against Nantes. It is just a matter of time before PSG win it because they were the favorites from the go. Monaco lost their teenage prodigy Mbappe to PSG as well as other crucial first team players who moved across Europe. Their rivals gained from Monaco’s loss as they lured their forward as well as adding a world class player in Neymar to their team. The only disappointment for them is their shambolic Champions League campaign which ended in an early exit. Will they learn from that experience and provide a good challenge in the next? Tell us why you think so in the comment section below.

Neymar to return sooner than expected?

Brazilian forward Neymar is set to return in two to three weeks. Many had doubted that the player would play again this season and also expected him to miss the World Cup in Russia. Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery has confirmed today that the Brazilian player will return in a space of 2-3 weeks after a successful operation and treatment back in his homeland, Brazil. This eases concerns of the player’s availability at the World Cup after a fractured metatarsal. The player missed his club’s crucial clash with Real Madrid and was probably disheartened by the poor show as his team bowed out of the Champions League. The estimated time of his return was set between 2-3 months by team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar. This explains everyone’s surprise at Emery’s statement. Neymar has since been visited by PSG President Al-Khelaifi in Brazil for he is an important player for his Paris project. The player will miss the domestic cup final but he will be following it live on television as stated by his coach. The countdown to his return begins but this will mostly be done by the Brazilians as opposed to his club supporters. This is because PSG are already in a comfortable position to win Ligue 1 and are on course to lift the cup as well. It would have been a different case had they gone through to the next round of the Champions League. We wish Neymar a speedy recovery.

Unsettled Pogba wants to play with Neymar

Paul Pogba has shown that he is an individual that admires a lot of things in different players that play in his position. He looks at players like Iniesta, Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne and Luka Modric for inspiration to improve his game. He also had time to mention a player who is also world class but does not play in his position or even for Manchester United. The unhappy player who has been benched by Mourinho in recent matches has admitted to being a big fan of Neymar and appreciates the fact that the player is always happy on the pitch. It is clear that the player is not enjoying his current form and situation which was also backed by his French national team coach Didier Deschamps. Pogba went on to say that he would like to play with Neymar someday. Could it be that the player is hinting at a move to Real Madrid where he could be a long-term replacement for Modric and be joined by Neymar if Florentino Perez bids the rumored €400 million? Surely, he is saying something when he is talking about playing with a player from another club.   

Is Ligue 1 Enough Of A Challenge For Neymar?

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague of SkySports gave his views on the rumors surrounding Neymar after his team was eliminated from the UEFA Champions League by Real Madrid. It is said that the Brazilian star is disappointed by his team’s lack of hunger to be competitive in the tournament which he hoped to win again in different colors to those of Barcelona. The player was in red hot form before his latest injury as he had scored 29 goals and provided 19 assists in just 30 matches across all competitions. It is believed that someone close to the player is the one who is being used as a spokesman to attract the attention of Real Madrid who have already tried to sign the player three times in the past. If that is to happen, Madrid would have to fork out something around €400m to lure him from PSG. Whether the club would actually allow him to leave is another story. What is to expect is an increase in the number of articles published between now and the end of season about Neymar and his possible transfer to different clubs in Europe.

Di Maria Up For Madrid

The Argentine wing wizard has been a consistent performer for the Parisians prior to the arrival of the most expensive teenager, Kylian Mbappe. Angelo Di Maria relishes the opportunity to showcase his talent against his former club in Real Madrid. He is almost guaranteed a start since Neymar is injured and Mbappe would likely move to his favorite position on the left to make up an attacking trio with Edinson Cavani. Di Maria lost his place in the starting 11 but that does not mean that he is less of a great player because he has shown what he is capable of whenever the starters are rested. This opportunity to take part in a huge game has come at the expense of his teammate but the winger will most likely take it with both hands and make the most of it. The club need to overturn their 3-1 defeat and the Argentine is the perfect replacement for Neymar as he will be extra-motivated to perform at the big stage against his former club.