PSG begin French title defence as Pogba returns home and Paris FC step up

New Straits Times

16 hours ago

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain will be hoping a severely curtailed summer break does not come back to bite them as the Ligue 1 season begins this weekend, headlined by the newly-crowned European champions and featuring the return to France of Paul Pogba.
It is just the second time that the French top flight has boasted the Champions League winners among its ranks, with PSG's success against Inter Milan in May following Marseille's triumph in 1993.
Luis Enrique's team added the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday as they came from two goals down against Tottenham before winning on penalties.
The nature of that success was made all the more remarkable given they had just a week's pre-season training under their belts, and no friendly matches.
That is after they went all the way to the Club World Cup final in the United States, their 3-0 defeat against Chelsea on July 13 bringing the curtain down on a marathon 65-game season.
That did not take the shine off their achievement in winning the Champions League, but those exertions risk having an impact on Luis Enrique's players further down the line.
"What we did last season had been the objective for all PSG supporters, for the whole club, and for everyone who played for the club," PSG's coach said this week.
"Now we want to keep on making history, and that means winning consecutive Champions Leagues, so that is our objective. That is the dream."
Put another way, continued European success is the priority over winning a 12th domestic title in 14 years.
PSG are nevertheless overwhelming favourites to do that as they attack the season having added goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Ukrainian centre-back Illia Zabarnyi from Bournemouth.
French football has been mired in crisis due to difficulties finding a domestic broadcast partner willing to offer the kind of money needed to help teams beyond PSG compete with their European counterparts.
At the end of last season, the French league pulled the plug on a cut-price deal with streaming platform DAZN.
Instead it has launched its own platform, a bold step which may succeed in the long run but for now means clubs have no guaranteed television income.
Seven-time champions Lyon's woes almost led to them being relegated – they were initially demoted to Ligue 2 by French football's financial watchdog before successfully appealing that punishment.
However, they were told they would have to cut their wage bill and transfer budget for this campaign and the future still looks uncertain – key players such as Rayan Cherki, Alexandre Lacazette and goalkeeper Lucas Perri have all departed.
Marseille and Monaco completed the podium in Ligue 1 last season and surely have the best chance of challenging PSG this time.
Monaco have signed Pogba on a two-year deal, giving the 2018 World Cup winner a chance to revive a career that has been stalled by injury and an 18-month doping ban.
Pogba is now 32 and has hardly played in three years, but Monaco are hopeful he can help them make a real push at the top of the table.
"The next step for us is to have a team that is mentally stronger, that really believes it can go far in the Champions League and challenge Paris," said Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro.
Pogba has never previously played in France having left Le Havre for Manchester United as a teenager. Fellow 2018 World Cup winner Olivier Giroud, meanwhile, has returned to Ligue 1 aged 38 to join Lille.
It remains to be seen what impact he might have, and whether Paris FC can feature prominently following promotion.
They have big ambitions after a takeover last year by the Arnaults, one of the world's wealthiest families.
It is the first time since 1990 that two Parisian teams have featured in the top flight, and the rivalry between them will be stoked by the fact Paris FC will play home games at the Stade Jean-Bouin – a stone's throw from PSG's Parc des Princes.
Paris FC have already invested significant sums in the transfer market but will probably have to wait before seriously challenging their neighbours.