Tough Draw for Paris Saint-Germain but Last-16 Place Should Be the Minimum

On Thursday afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain discovered the three opponents they would do battle with in the group stage of this season’s Champions League.

In reality, the draw could have been kinder, but it could also have been a lot worse for Laurent Blanc’s team. With each of the three sides throwing up their own problems and challenges.

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The official result of the #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/Il4iQoqdLU

— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 27, 2015"

From taking on the galacticos of Real Madrid—winners in 2014—to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s return to face off against his first-ever professional club in Sweden, and with the tricky Eastern European trip to face the might of Shakhtar Donetsk also on the schedule, it is not going to be easy. However, Les Parisians will be confident of progressing to the last 16.

"Given the rules of the draw, we knew we would be up against a big club and in the end we have been drawn against Real Madrid,” Blanc told PSG’s official website after the draw. “There were dangerous teams in the third and fourth pots, so it could have been even more difficult. We will play Malmo, where Zlatan began his career, so obviously that will become a big event.

UEFA changed the rules slightly this year, and it has handed PSG three interesting opponents. Champions of the top leagues were automatically given a place in Pot 1, meaning the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United were all in Pot 2—virtually guaranteeing two elite clubs would meet in the group phase.

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Group A: match by match. #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/CXtfk6shC5

— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 27, 2015"

The fixture draw has been relatively kind to the Ligue 1 champions, with the matches against Real Madrid coming in the middle of the qualification process.

PSG open their quest with a home tie against Malmo—who are, with respect, the weakest side in the group. Ibrahimovic will be able to welcome his old club to the Parc des Princes, and the home side will be strong favourites to start the campaign with a win.

Blanc and his team then travel to the Ukraine to face Shakhtar on September 20, which is perhaps the best time to make that journey. A trip to Donetsk at the end of November or start of December could have been a much tougher encounter.

VALERY HACHE/Getty Images

Ultimately, the group will be decided between October and November, when PSG and Real Madrid go head-to-head twice in 13 days. That will play a huge part in which one of these two heavyweights takes top spot in the group—barring they both avoid any disastrous slip-ups.

PSG’s money men expect the team to continue their progression this season, but the draw has reduced their chances of making the semi-finals. Finishing at least second is the minimum requirement, but in order to give themselves the best chance at advancing through the knockout stage, first place will be the ultimate goal.

Coming second leaves your fate in the hands of others and could see the Parisians handed a much tougher match than they would want in the last 16. This is why it is flawed to base all your ambitions on how far you can go in this competition.

PSG’s minimum requirement should be to qualify from Group A—beyond that, you are in the hands of balls being drawn out of a bowl and how other teams have fared. It only takes one slip-up for a Barcelona or Man City to come second in their group.

 According to the club website, midfielder Blaise Matuidi explained after the draw:

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We all know our aim: qualify for the last-16 by always giving 100%. Real Madrid are always one of the favourites for the competition, we know their strengths and their world-class stars. Our ambition is to finish top of the group; that would be perfect. If you want to win the Champions League, you have to play these types of matches.

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Even winning the group is no guarantee of an easy path. However, as Matuidi admitted, if your goal is to win this competition, you will always be required to beat the biggest and best somewhere along the journey to lift the famous trophy, and that is what Paris Saint-Germain will have to do this season.