Football Season Guide

Paris Saint-Germain endured a disappointing campaign by their standards in 2018-19 as they claimed the league title but missed out on both domestic cup competitions and suffered embarrassment in the Champions League last-16 stage. Wounded, the club will attempt to bounce back this time around but has been left distracted by the Neymar situation, with the Brazilian apparently seeking to manufacture a move away from the club. For the time being, though, it looks more probable that he will remain in France for at least one more season. PSG have allowed a number of players to depart, though the only one of particular consequence immediately to the first team is Adrien Rabiot, which was a move that was coming since January. They may regret allowing the likes of academy products Moussa Diaby, Christopher Nkunku and Tim Weah to leave so cheaply in the future, though. Veterans Gianluigi Buffon and Dani Alves have also gone. The players, signed for their ‘champions’ mentality, proved to be flops in France and will not be significantly missed. PSG have moved to address some of their long-standing problems, such as the defensive midfield issue, with Idrissa Gueye and Ander Herrera arriving from Everton and Manchester United respectively, removing the need to play Marquinhos in that unfamiliar role. Abdou Diallo has joined from Dortmund to add further depth to the defence, while Pablo Sarabia has arrived from Sevilla as a creative force for the midfield. Domestically, PSG should be able to sweep away their opponents with the power of their attacking line, which is among the best in Europe. Questions remain, however, with regards their mentality on the big stage. In two of the last three years they have lost out in the Champions League after holding an apparently unassailable first-leg advantage, which has damaged the club’s reputation. As such, they have found it difficult to land the players they would have wished, specifically Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong. This is a team that has much to prove over the next 12 months.