PSG Moves Closer to Achieving Rare Milestone as Champions League Glory Beckons

After nearly 15 years of extensive investment by their Qatari proprietors and a much-needed pivot from signing marquee players, Paris Saint-Germain enter Saturday’s Champions League final against Inter Milan as the favourites, aiming to secure the prestigious trophy for the first time.

Once notorious for dramatic failures in significant Champions League encounters, PSG has undergone a remarkable transformation this season. Under the astute guidance of coach Luis Enrique, they have emerged as a sensational young team, commanding respect across Europe.

Previously, their domestic supremacy was often downplayed by critics, who attributed it to the considerable financial leverage they possess—PSG recently claimed their 11th Ligue 1 title in 13 years and their eighth French Cup in a decade.

Now, however, they garner admiration from competitors, as expressed by Arne Slot, whose Liverpool side was eliminated by PSG in the last 16 in March: “This is the most complete team we have faced.“

The Parisian club’s quest for European dominance commenced in 2011 when Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) took over an ailing club and swiftly propelled PSG into the ranks of Europe’s top ten wealthiest clubs, leading to vertiginous growth.

Investments exceeding two billion euros (approximately $2.28 billion) have transformed the club. By last year, PSG’s annual turnover of over 800 million euros positioned them as the third-richest club globally, as noted by analysts from Deloitte, trailing only Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Those two clubs are the last to win the Champions League, whereas PSG’s solitary prior final appearance occurred in 2020, when they were defeated by Bayern Munich behind closed doors in Lisbon amidst the Covid pandemic.

Nasser al-Khelaifi, PSG’s Qatari president, had originally set a five-year target for winning the Champions League upon purchasing the club.

That ambition proved elusive, as even the record acquisition of Neymar for 222 million euros and the subsequent signing of Kylian Mbappe in the same summer of 2017 did not bring home Europe’s top prize.

In fact, PSG appeared to regress after bringing Lionel Messi on board in 2021.

Shifting Strategy

“This is a trophy the club has longed for, yet winning it is incredibly challenging,” asserted Pedro Miguel Pauleta, a former star striker for PSG in the early 2000s.

The seed of their recent success was sown in 2023, when the out-of-condition Neymar and the disillusioned Messi departed.

That summer, Luis Enrique arrived, replacing Christophe Galtier as the eighth coach of the QSI era.

With all-time leading scorer Mbappe driving the attack, PSG reached the last season’s Champions League semi-finals, losing to Borussia Dortmund.

Although Mbappe indicated he would be leaving, Luis Enrique confidently maintained that his squad would flourish without the French superstar.

“Last season, we were also a cohesive unit. I promised we would enhance the team. New players came in, and all metrics indicate we are a stronger team now,” the Spanish manager remarked last week.

Aspirational Young Squad

The former Barcelona manager needed an enthusiastic, youthful, and driven squad to implement his preferred style of play, and PSG has acquired some of the world’s most promising young talents.

New additions like centre-back Willian Pacho, midfielder Joao Neves, and wingers Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue have made significant impacts.

Under Luis Enrique’s mentorship, Ousmane Dembele has evolved into a prolific scorer, netting 33 goals this season.

In January, the addition of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli added further depth, with Marquinhos now being the squad’s oldest player at 31.

“We possess the talent to win the Champions League this year, next year, or in eight years. We have laid the foundation for a formidable team for the future,” Khelaifi shared in a recent interview with German media.

“The true star at Paris Saint-Germain is now the team, and I take immense pride in the way we’ve revamped the club’s philosophy in such a brief period.“

In fact, it could be argued that the remarkable coach himself is the new star; it’s now his responsibility to deliver come Saturday in Munich.

“We began laying the groundwork for this during pre-season training. It has been at the forefront of everyone’s mind since then,” he said last weekend.

“This match has been circled on our calendar. We are entering it in excellent form, brimming with confidence, and we are determined to carve our names into the club’s history.“