To Make the Next Step, PSG Must Be Bold and Overhaul Squad This Summer

Without scratching the surface, it would be easy to call this season a success for Paris Saint-Germain.

Although knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Manchester City 3-2 on aggregate, the Ligue 1 champions, despite a poor performance over the two legs, were not that far away from a place in the semi-finals—it was definitely a wonderful opportunity to reach the final four.

Tuesday night’s 1-0 away win over FC Lorient saw the Parisians qualify for the Coupe de France final, a trophy they won last year as part of a domestic quadruple and something they obviously hope to accomplish once again.

Game-winner Zlatan Ibrahimovic told reporters after the game:

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The important thing was to win tonight because this was a knockout match. This is an important trophy for us because we won it last year and we want to keep it. It’s very hard to play on this surface, that doesn’t exist anywhere else. But we won and that’s the important thing. My goal? It’s an important goal because it was the winning goal. If someone else had scored I would have been just as happy because it meant we are qualified for the final.

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They will face either FC Sochaux or bitter rivals Olympique de Marseille at the end-of-season showcase. On Saturday, they take on Lille at the Stade de France as they look to add the Coupe de la Ligue prize to the Trophee des Champions and league success.

However, Tuesday’s performance, following on from the lacklustre displays against Manchester City, had a weird feeling about it. Blanc may have spoken about other factors to blame, but there is a sense of a bigger issue at hand.

Blanc admitted after the game:

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It’s never easy to win here. I can’t remember an easy match against Lorient. Firstly, they are a very organised team that is used to playing on the artificial pitch. Secondly, we always seem to concede goals here, but this time we avoided that. We had thought we would have to score two or even three. But tonight we showed the right attitude and we are through to the final.

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There is a sense his time with the club is coming to the end of its cycle. Before Tuesday’s game, there were rumours PSG had begun talks with Jose Mourinho about becoming the new boss at the Parc des Princes for next season, as reported by the Guardian's Jamie Jackson and Fabrizio Romano.

After their elimination from the Champions League, there was a suggestion Blanc had taken the team as far as he could. Perhaps his decision to change the team’s formation and style on the day of a crucial match was a sign the former Bordeaux and France boss isn’t the man to take this club all the way to Champions League glory.

However, it’s not just the manager that must foot the blame. The players at his disposal have been found lacking when it matters most, and this summer could usher in a new direction and a new look to the French champions.

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Ibrahimovic is already set to leave the club. His goal on Tuesday showed just how important a player he can be, but you can’t ignore the fact he disappeared in the competition that mattered most. His missed penalty and poor miss in the first leg against City were crucial moments.

PSG will certainly miss his 30-plus league goals next season, but his departure is a chance to be bold and overhaul the squad, ready to attack Europe again.

Ibrahimovic’s agent, Mino Raiola, told French outlet RMC Sport, via Manchester Evening News' Alice McKeegan:

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Zlatan’s sole priority at this moment is to end the season well.

Zlatan is motivated and all clubs who offer him a contract know that. He doesn’t need to continue for financial reasons, he wants to prove himself at the highest level, just as he has the other years when people thought he was too old.

I’m not saying the financial aspect is not important at all, but his motivation is not money. If you are the best, you must be paid as the best.

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There will be a certain level of self-awareness that points to an exit—perhaps a different club could give the Swede one more chance to lift the Champions League. He is not the only player that should be shown the door, though.

The contract of Brazilian left-back Maxwell is up in the summer, and his time in Paris should be brought to a close. Layvin Kurzawa is ready to start for PSG, and as his lovely cross for Zlatan’s second goal against Caen on Saturday showed, he is able to instantly contribute to the team.

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Midfield is where the real problems are. The trio of Adrien Rabiot, Benjamin Stambouli and Blaise Matuidi was glaringly toothless on Tuesday. There was no rhythm, no momentum and no one there driving the game, pushing the ball forward and knowing when to increase the tempo.

PSG will be hoping Marco Verratti is back to full fitness for next season, and Matuidi is still more than good enough to be part of a Champions League-winning midfield, but the third member of the starting trident, Thiago Motta, has had his time in the sun.

Blanc, or whoever is in charge next season, will need to go big this summer and bring in a third midfielder to stitch it all together. Rabiot is an excellent young player, but without a quality third player in the centre, PSG would likely fail to reach the semi-finals once again.

Rabiot has an amazingly bright future and will quite easily play 25-30 games next season, but Tuesday showed the quality after him is just not good enough.

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There are also question marks over the ability of Javier Pastore and Lucas Moura to come on and change a game. They are unlikely to push into the starting lineup over the summer, so it could be time to draw a line under their time in Paris and look towards a new, vibrant and exciting future for the Parisians.

PSG still have a young core and players like Angel Di Maria, Marquinhos, Serge Aurier and Verratti that will drive this team forward, there was just an overriding sense last night the supporting cast just isn’t up for the job.

“We are into the two finals for the second year in a row and we have to chance to win four trophies again this year,” Matuidi said after the 1-0 win. "Our aim was to win tonight, and we did, so we’re very happy. We recorded a big win last weekend and we have won again tonight, on a very difficult pitch...it was a good performance. It’s ever easy in the Cup."

Despite being able to finish the season with four domestic trophies once again, there are too many signs this current squad aren’t up to the task of dominating Europe. Undoubtedly, they are good enough for domestic success, but that is not the target for the club, and bold changes are needed if they want to reach the next level.