5 Bold Predictions for Paris Saint-Germain in 2016
The last 12 months have been fairly successful for Paris Saint-Germain. Laurent Blanc’s side reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League—they also lifted a quadruple of domestic trophies for the first time ever.
By the way they ended 2015, it would be natural to predict that 2016 should be even better. Another Ligue 1 title is only a matter of time as they are 19 points clear after 19 games.
A Champions League last-16 meeting with Chelsea is scheduled for February, with the French side looking to repeat last year's victory over the Londoners.
These are always easy things to predict about the French giants. Even another quadruple wouldn't be unthinkable—here are five bold predictions for Paris Saint-Germain in 2016.
1. PSG to Win Both Legs Against Chelsea
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Over the past two years, PSG and Chelsea have done battle in the last 16 of the Champions League. So far, it’s one game all, with February’s battle potentially set to be the decider.
Chelsea took first blood. Coming back from 3-1 down to win 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, winning the tie on away goals.
Then, after a late Thiago Silva header levelled the score at 2-2 on the night, it was PSG that advanced 3-3 on away goals.
Before Jose Mourinho left the club, PSG were installed as favourites to advance to the quarter-finals this season, but now Guus Hiddink has time to turn the London club’s form around. However, that doesn't mean they can stop the PSG juggernaut.
The French champions are unbeaten in the league and look set to break all domestic records this season—giving them a free run at Chelsea, with no domestic pressures. This should be enough for PSG to go on and beat Chelsea in both legs, convincingly knocking out the Premier League champions.
2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic Scores More Than 30 Ligue 1 Goals
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Ever since he arrived in France, Zlatan Ibrahimovic set a target to become one of Ligue 1’s greatest-ever players. Some would argue that he has already done that, but one target remains—scoring more than 30 goals in a Ligue 1 season.
Against Marseille, his two penalties secured his place as PSG’s all-time top goalscorer. Then he surpassed Mustapha Dahleb as the club’s all-time scorer in Ligue 1.
In his first season, Ibrahimovic scored 30 goals. After 29 games of the following campaign, the Sweden international was on 25 for the season, but injury saw him miss five games. His goal against Montpellier on the last day took his total to 26.
Since 1990, no one has scored over 30 in the league—Marseille’s Jean-Pierre Papin was the last—and it would be fitting for Ibrahimovic to pass that landmark in possibly his last campaign in France.
As PSG see off the Ligue 1 competition with ease, and the Swedish talisman looking back to his best, who would bet against him reaching 31 goals this season?
3. PSG to Lose a Ligue 1 Fixture
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After their 3-0 win over Caen at the end of 2015, PSG not only finished as autumn champions, they also broke the Ligue 1 points recorded and finished unbeaten after 19 games.
Usually it would be a much bolder statement to suggest they would go the entire year unbeaten in the league, but the gap in Ligue 1 is so great now that it is perhaps a possibility.
It’s rather more unlikely that someone in the league will be able to topple them. For everyone in France, we have to pray that one of the 19 teams finally finds a way—giving hope for future seasons.
PSG are only going to get stronger, and with the other leagues around Europe—especially England—getting wealthier, the other clubs will likely get weaker.
Their last league defeat came against Bordeaux in March, meaning they have now gone 28 games without a loss. During the 1994/95 season, FC Nantes went 32 games unbeaten as they lifted the title—currently on 19 this season, there is now a chance Blanc’s team could break that record.
There are a few other records that could fall with the run PSG are on, but it only takes one slip and someone to pounce to bring it all crumbling down.
4. PSG to Sell the Future of the Club
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Almost 12 months ago, Blanc was quoted in calling both Adrien Rabiot and Marquinhos the “future of PSG,” per Anthony Chapman of the Daily Express. Things change quickly in football, and this month, both players have been linked with future moves away from the club.
Rabiot is keen on pursuing a loan move this month, hoping to gain more minutes in order to try and win a place in Didier Deschamps' France squad for Euro 2016—despite not featuring for the full squad at any moment so far.
Although he impressed while Marco Verratti was out injured, Rabiot is unlikely to win a regular starting place as long as the Italian, Thiago Motta and Blaise Matuidi are at the club. And that's not to mention any other big-name signing the club makes over the next 12 months.
Once Rabiot gets the taste of first-team football elsewhere, it’s unlikely he’ll be happy with anything less.
On Sunday, Marquinhos, speaking to Journal du Dimanche (h/t Goal.com), also hinted at an exit in six months if he couldn't hold down a regular place. With Thiago Silva and David Luiz ahead of him, it seems an unlikely event.
This summer, PSG could very likely lose the two players supposed to be the future of the club.
5. Sign Cristiano Ronaldo, but Keep Ibrahimovic
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PSG are hoping to go big this summer. One name that won’t go away is that of Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. John Cross of the Mirror reported in November that the French champions would be willing to pay £250,000-a-week after tax to lure the Ballon d’Or winner to the Parc des Princes.
It was understood that Ronaldo would be a replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with the Swede currently earning £200,000-a-week. It would be an increase in their budget, but not as big as the initial outlay would seem.
This season, Ibrahimovic is looking back to his best, scoring 15 goals at the halfway stage of the campaign. He may not have made any impact in the Champions League yet, but he has done enough to start a conversation about a new contract.
His current deal ends in the summer, and after a disappointing campaign last year, it looked like he would end his time in Paris at the end of this term. That is now all up in the air.
If PSG want to take another step towards European domination, signing Ronaldo would be a wonderful move, but linking him up with the iconic Ibrahimovic would be a dream.
Lining up Ronaldo on the left, Angel Di Maria on the right, with Ibrahimovic playing through the middle, would give PSG an attack that most clubs in Europe could only dream about.
