Paris Saint-Germain's victory in the Champions League final on Saturday elevates them to a new tier of European football's pantheon. Since 1990, only Real Madrid had successfully defended the title, winning three in a row between 2016 and 2018. No bad side has ever won the European Cup or Champions League, but only great sides have retained it. PSG now stand alongside the best, though with caveats.
Dominant Run to the Title
Arsenal pushed PSG closer than Inter had in the previous year's final, and a victory on penalties always leaves a slight sense of dissatisfaction. Yet the quality of this PSG side cannot be denied. They put six past Bayern Munich in the semi-final, their superiority far greater than the one-goal aggregate margin suggests. The quarter-final against Liverpool followed a similar pattern, with a 4-0 aggregate victory not fully reflecting how much better they were. Chelsea may feel unlucky to have lost the first leg of their last-16 tie 5-2, but the 3-0 result in the second leg was a devastating assertion of authority, with goals scored by an almost bored opponent.
Midfield Control and Tactical Evolution
While attacking verve catches the eye, PSG also boast a midfield that, particularly when Fabián Ruiz is available, can control possession and stifle games, reminiscent of great Spain sides. Luis Enrique's heritage as part of the great Barcelona team of the late 1990s is clear. He now stands among the greats of European coaching: only Carlo Ancelotti has won more European Cups or Champions Leagues, and only Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane, and Pep Guardiola have matched his three titles. As the Guardiola consensus wanes, Luis Enrique may have found a model for the future, blending technical quality and midfield control with thrilling directness wide.
Kvaratskhelia's Impact
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has arguably supplanted Lamine Yamal as the best player in the world on current form. Given room to run, as Bayern offered too often, the outcome is inevitable. Arsenal restricted him well in the final, with Bukayo Saka doubling up with Cristhian Mosquera, but Kvaratskhelia still won the penalty for PSG's equalizer after a slight hesitation from Mosquera. Go toe-to-toe with PSG, and Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué will revel in the space. Arsenal had little option but to sit deep and absorb pressure, a legitimate tactic. With better forwards, the approach might have worked, but Viktor Gyökeres could not hold the ball up, and Noni Madueke could not replicate Saka's delivery from set plays. Even then, one small mistake cost them a 1-0 win, and they lost on penalties after missing twice. The gameplan was not the problem; minor details were.
Caveats: Freshness and Financial Dominance
However appealing PSG's soccer, caveats exist. Their players are much fresher than most European rivals, especially Arsenal. David Raya, Declan Rice, Martín Zubimendi, Gabriel, and William Saliba all played over 2,500 league minutes this season, with four others above 2,000. Of PSG's starting XI, only Vitinha played more than 2,000. The Premier League is also more demanding than Ligue 1; Wolves, Burnley, and West Ham offer stiffer tests than Metz, Nantes, and Nice. PSG's wage bill is roughly double that of Marseille, the next highest in France, and over ten times that of Le Havre, the lowest. Their wealth has effectively destroyed domestic competition, and its source should not be forgotten. Qatar Sports Investment bought PSG 15 years ago, and after realizing celebrity players rarely bring success, they now have the team they dreamed of. All ten outfield players started the last two finals, with only two aged 30 or older and five aged 25 or under. There is no reason they cannot continue succeeding, but at what cost to the balance of the French league and to soccer's community and spiritual values?
