How Paris Saint-Germain became a team
At the time, it sounded like a provocation. In February 2024, as Kylian Mbappé's departure for Real Madrid was looming, Luis Enrique said he was convinced that his Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) side would be "better" without the star striker. The coach's claim was met with ridicule: How could the club fill the void left by the top scorer in its history? How could it remain competitive without its most prolific attacker since 2017?
Fifteen months later, it would take boldness to say the Spanish manager was wrong. PSG has made it to the second Champions League final of the club's history, facing Inter Milan on Saturday, May 31, in Munich. The campaign has earned the team admiration across Europe.
The first months without Mbappé had seemed to confirm observers' fears. While they cruised in Ligue 1, the young Parisian team did not appear to have the strength to compete with the continent's heavyweights on the biggest stage. By autumn 2024, their European prospects looked bleak. On November 26, after losing away to Bayern Munich (1-0), PSG, who had won only one of their five matches, were in 26 th place – out of 36 – in the league phase, facing a potential elimination.
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Euronews
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