Champions League: PSG has won the respect of Europe

While PSG will know this Thursday at 5 p.m. the opponents of its group in the 2020-2021 edition of the Champions League, we asked journalists from the five major European championships (Spain, Germany, Italy, England and Portugal) if the recent Final 8 in Lisbon and the status of vice-champion of Europe had changed the image of PSG.

Seen from Spain

“On the right path”, according to Pablo Polo Santias (Marca).

“Before reaching the final, PSG was already a favorite in my eyes.

It has some of the best players in the world, a great team with more maturity.

In the last few years, he's found a little more balance.

It's true that with the final we realized that he lacked almost nothing to take the last step.

Maybe just a little experience compared to Bayern Munich.

"

“But hey, I think Paris is on the right path and that he will be one of the favorites because they will have learned from their mistakes in the final and, in addition, the players have realized that they are capable of… When you see Mbappé, Icardi, Neymar and Di Maria, you tell yourself that things are going to be complicated for the Spanish teams this season!

I truly believe that the history of football in Europe is changing.

"

Mbappé, Neymar, Icardi and Di Maria in Le Havre last July./LP/Yann Foreix  

Seen from Italy

“We have to make it happen”, according to Andrea Elefante (Gazzetta dello Sport).

“When you reach a Champions League final, the image necessarily changes and above all for you.

When you get so close to such a goal, you feel even more prepared to achieve it, your self-esteem grows along with the esteem of others.

Now we just have to make it happen.

But Mbappé has everything to grow up and Neymar must necessarily consider this season as the moment of consecration.

Afterwards, the favorite is still the outgoing champion, if he does not upset his entire workforce of course.

"

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Seen from Germany

"Bayern and Liverpool remain above", according to Henning Kunz (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung).

“Paris is better seen.

First of all, what has changed is that Thomas

succeeded in this Final 8 to make PSG play as a team.

That's what he had done in Mainz and Dortmund.

Before Lisbon, we saw more of a group of stars, an addition of individualities.

He also changed Neymar in a way.

He became more altruistic.

But collectively Bayern were better.

"

“Paris will once again be one of the favorites but not THE favorite.

Bayern but also Liverpool remain above.

Especially since Liverpool recruited Thiago Alcantara

.

Tuchel did a great job with PSG because it's not easy for him.

But we must not forget that he lost Thiago Silva, who was a key player.

"

Seen from England

“More confident and dangerous,” according to Tom Roddy (The Times).

“PSG appears as a team that has invested crazy sums for years, a bit like Real Madrid at the time of the Galacticos.

The problem, and I don't know how much Ligue 1 is responsible for that by being too narrow for them, is that they have always struggled to handle very high level matches.

Their defense has always seemed permeable.

I compare Paris to a bodybuilder who doesn't work his legs.

He would be very strong from the top of the body, in attack therefore, but not at the bottom… "

Icardi (here in Reims on September 27), one of the most wanted attackers in Europe./LP / Arnaud Dumontier  

"This is what happened again this summer, with the final recruitment of Icardi, one of the most wanted strikers in Europe, but with a defense that was not strengthened as much as it could have been. be.

While this is a trend: all the big English clubs - Chelsea, Manchester City and United, Tottenham - have battled to recruit a defender.

"

“So I think the Final 8 was sort of a missed opportunity for Paris.

Because it's very rare to have only one big in the last four, in this case Bayern Munich.

Usually there are still Liverpool, Real or Barcelona.

But Paris will certainly be more confident and dangerous.

Because even if they haven't achieved their goal, the pressure will be less.

Knowing that they can play against teams like Bayern I believe it will give them more confidence and hope than they have ever had before.

"

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Seen from Portugal

“Not yet among the favorites”, according to Isaura Almeida (Jornal de Noticias).

“It's an indisputable fact that the image of PSG changed after their presence in the Champions League final and the way they got there. The Parisians have shown that they are not just a bunch of players with millionaire contracts. We had waited a long time to see what Tuchel could do with this team. I believe that now Paris will be seen as a potential candidate for a place in the final even if for some the place taken by Neymar and the lack of internal competition will always be an obstacle to gain in competitiveness. I think Paris are more favorites than last season, for sure, but not yet among the favorites to win. "