ARTICLE AD
This Wednesday, PSG began its 2024/2025 Champions League campaign at the Parc des Princes. Facing the modest Girona team, Luis Enrique’s team hoped to start strong and was expected for a first European test. Without Kylian Mbappé who left for Real Madrid, it was necessary to see if this Parisian team was more coherent both offensively and collectively. And in this match, it was not particularly visible. After 90 uninspiring minutes despite great domination, PSG ended up being freed by a big blunder from Paulo Gazzaniga. The Argentinian goalkeeper let a cross from Nuno Mendes slip between his legs (90th, 1-0).
Enough to give PSG the victory and the three points in this match. And that’s all we’ll remember, or almost. This Thursday morning, the Spanish press delivered a fairly varied analysis of the match. For its part, Marca mentions ” a tiny victory for PSG » and a « clumsy team ” who had to wait for a mistake from a Girona, much inferior on paper and in experience, to impose itself. Nevertheless, the Madrid daily does not fail to underline the great Parisian domination and the numerous opportunities that could have hit the mark well before the very end of the match, even if it considers that PSG without possession is far from the big European clubs. ” We’ll see when they have to look the competition ogres in the face. “, writes thus Brand. THE World Sports speaks of ” Cruel beginnings from Girona to Paris » referring to a Parisian team which, after having taken « the reins of the match “, ended up surprisingly losing control of the match in certain phases. ” Girona significantly thwarted the opponent’s attempts and produced moments of great play. “, writes the MD who also adds that PSG will have to be much more solid without the ball against the big European teams.
Ousmane Dembélé criticized in Spain
But apart from the collective analysis of the match, the Spanish press only retained one Parisian individual this Wednesday: Ousmane Dembélé. And it is not especially for the right reasons. The former FC Barcelona winger once again showed his clumsiness in the final gesture, with in particular this incredible miss on the return from the locker room which could have cost his team dearly. The worst version of Ousmane Dembélé reappears in the Champions League ” coldly headlines Sport this Thursday morning before continuing. ” Not only was the Frenchman unlucky in front of goal, he even made his teammates despair, like Zaire-Emery, by letting a ball slip away on the touchline without realising that the pass had come from his own ranks. It is not his first performance of this kind in Europe. »
For his part, the World Sports speaks of a ” Ousmane Dembélé caricature “. ” The Ousmane of a lifetime. He had genius actions, of a different player, mixed with sequences where you have to see it to believe it. He missed a counterattack when everything was in his favor and shot on the crossbar. » Brand describes the Frenchman’s performance in the same way, speaking of a ” Dembélé asleep ” And ” poor ” after having been a ” dagger ” for the Girona team in the first minutes, whileAS speaks of ” one of Dembélé’s biggest mistakes ” on the missed face-to-face. ” Tonight he had perhaps one of the clearest chances of his career and the Frenchman ended up resting on his laurels. “One thing is certain, his performance will not help him erase his image of an irregular player, capable of the best as well as the worst. And if PSG wants to go far in C1, it will have to hope to have only the best of Ousmane Dembélé…
Written by:
Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
 As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers.
 
 When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.