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USED – Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League campaign kicked off on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw at Club Brugge in Group A with Kylian Mbappe injured as Lionel Messi made his full debut for the French champions.
Ander Herrera’s first game for Mauricio Pochettino’s men was called off by Hans Vanaken’s deflected equalizer and although Messi touched the wood, the hosts valued their draw well and thought they could have clinched the win with some of their chances in the second half.
Obviously, the main pre-match talking point was the inclusion of Messi, Neymar and Mbappe from the start, but that debate quickly passed to the absence of Marco Verratti and Idrissa Gueye in midfield and Pochettino’s difficulty in finding a preferred starting XI and a workable system.
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“We need time to work together, to get along and for the three to thrive,” said the Argentine tactician after the final whistle. We have to form a team. We have made far too many mistakes. Although I am happy with the effort, we did not have a great evening. “
It is still early days for the formidable trio at the top with this first opportunity to play together and Mbappé’s ankle injury now threatening to delay their next game date, but the lack of creativity in the final third is also due to the suspension of Angel Di Maria who will remain the case against Manchester City and RB Leipzig.
Focusing too much on PSG also takes away what was a superb Bruges performance from Philippe Clement roaring through a passionate packed house and Vanaken’s strike was no less than deserved with Charles De Ketelaer and Noa Lang equally impressive.
However, it’s natural to feel some deflation after such anticipation of the big Messi-Neymar-Mbappe debut, despite some fleeting moments of magic from the Argentinian and hints of understanding he might close with the Frenchman over time. .
A draw is not disastrous for PSG given that they have City and Leipzig coming to Parc des Princes, but it also means that the pressure on Pochettino and his players has just increased a notch earlier than expected and that there is now little room for error in either of these matches.
Much will now depend on Mbappe’s ankles and whether this latest issue keeps him out for a few days, a week, or maybe worse, given he’s the most consistent goal provider right now – with the astonishingly prolific Herrera – and Di Maria’s European ban means he’s not the solution either.
Perhaps Mauro Icardi, introduced for Mbappe in the second half and rediscovering his touch in goal before a collarbone injury, can come in and provide a focal point for Messi and Neymar, but the Brazilian’s anonymity will also have bothered Pochettino.
The former Barcelona tandem have so far looked away from the beat, especially Neymar, and they really need some form and fitness by the time City visit in a fortnight after Pep Guardiola’s men played a goal festival with Leipzig.
Olympique Lyonnais at home in Ligue 1 this weekend will help, but significant progress needs to be made quickly if this PSG is to be in the best shape for their next UCL test which they cannot afford not to. not win.
Now it is Pochettino’s turn to work on the “foundations” he spoke of before the match at double speed so that he can finally settle on a preferred XI and a system that begins to exploit the impressive attacking potential. of the team.
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