Manchester City and Paris St Germain: Argentine Super-Signings Spark Victory

You could have forgiven Javier Pastore for joining newly-hired sporting director Leonardo in making an early break for the exit during Paris St Germain's humiliating 1-0 loss to FC Lorient in the first match of the 2011-12 Ligue 1 season.

The Brazilian Leonardo was caught on camera leaving the Parc des Princes before the final whistle. Whether he simply wanted to avoid the inevitable post-match traffic congestion, or had simply seen enough of his new charges, is cause for debate.

All the same, it must have made distressing viewing for the Argentine wunderkind Pastore—signed for €43 million this off-season from Italian side Palermo—who did not make his switch only to lose to middling Ligue 1 outfits.

After spending upwards of €80 million this summer on a host of new signings, new ownership group Qatari Investment Authority would have shared that feeling.

Kevin Gameiro, Blaise Matuidi, Nicolas Douchez, Jeremy Menez joined piece de resistance Pastore as additions to the club. The Argentinian has yet to play a match in Ligue 1, and after drawing away at Rennes this past weekend, Paris must be chomping at the bit to see him on the pitch. They now have one point out of a potential six this season, "good" enough for 15th in the table.

Yet Paris got a glimpse of a potentially glorious future Thursday in their Europa League match against Luxembourg club FC 03 Differdange (props if you can name one player on that squad).

In his first match with his new club, Pastore was sensational, providing two assists in a 4-0 romp, and playing the whole 90. Paris looked a completely new side with him in the fold—after seeming bereft of anything in the way of attacking ingenuity and creativity in that 1-0 opening-weekend defeat, their €43 million man galvanized them.

Having learned of that scoreline, inevitable comparisons could be made with another side built upon heavy and frequent Arab-based investment: Manchester City, who enjoyed a 4-0 win of their own Monday at home against Swansea City, also saw their match transformed by an off-season Argentine signing.

Sergio "Kun" Aguero injected life into a 1-0 match after entering in the 60th minute, providing two goals and an assist. For the final 30+ minutes of the match, he was the most scintillating player on the pitch, banishing Manchester City's reputation under current coach Roberto Mancini of playing boring, defensive-minded football.

Arab-based oil magnate Sheik Mansour became the owner of Manchester City in September, 2008. A man of extravagant means—he once sensationally settled his new side's rising debts with one swift stroke of a pen, he immediately set about changing the nature of his new investment.

Then a side languishing in the middle of the Premier League table, Manchester City have ridden the petro-dollar tainted wave of exorbitant investment to Champions League football this season—they finished third in the EPL last season. They are a trendy pick to win the 2011-12 league title, and could welcome French playmaker Samir Nasri into the fold, if reports are accurate.

After five years with the American group Colony Capital, Paris was taken over by Qatari Investment Authority this off-season. As the only top-level footballing side in one of the biggest cities in the world, Paris should be a perennial contender. With their own sugar daddies propelling them forward, they are a real threat to join City as nouveau-riche players on the brightest European stages.

For now, they'll have to build. After finishing 4th last season in Ligue 1, anything less than Champions League football next season will be viewed as a failure. A lengthy run in the Europa League competition, coupled with improvement in their domestic form, would be a solid start, however.

Just as Aguero sparked Manchester City into life—the side switched from a defensive-minded 4-2-3-1 to a more attacking 4-4-2 after his entry—Pastore possesses the blend of attacking verve that could lift Paris St Germain from the Ligue 1 muddle. French sides have a history of playing technical, precise football that, while effective, isn't the most exciting to watch.

Enter Pastore. Set to play in an attacking midfield pocket behind strikers Kevin Gameiro and Guillaume Hoarau, the Argentinian will have freedom to roam. Flanked by talented wingers Nene and Jeremy Menez, he won't suffer for options, and could set Paris alight like another South American prodigy, years ago.

Like Ronaldinho, Pastore is a brilliant technician, and used the Europa League stage to offer a glimpse at how instrumental he could be this season in leading the Parisian attack. Unlike Ronaldinho, however, Pastore favors the simple over the extravagant.

Often using one or two touches on the ball, Pastore spreads play brilliantly. His passing is precise, and his tight dribbling is an asset in maintaining possession. A better comparison might be diminutive Dutchman Wesley Sneijder—another brilliant attacking midfielder, or trequartista—who has shown that you don't need flash to experience a wealth of success.

While Manchester City have proved the old adage true—Rome wasn't built in a day—by winning only one trophy (2011 FA Cup) during Mansour's tenure, they have rocketed to the fore of English football this season.

Aguero is a major part of that. While it would be premature to label him a definite success after one game, he looks set to make his mark.

While it may take Paris a year to instill the same kind of expectations currently weighted upon Manchester City, they're definitely on their way.