Without Mbappe, Messi and Neymar, why is Paris Saint-Germain still stronger?

Paris Saint-Germain has reached almost unprecedented perfect heights this season - an achievement that has never been achieved when it comes to having Messi, Neymar and Mbappe.

Paris Saint-Germain has a new look

When defender Lucas Hernandez whispered "this is just the beginning" after defeating Angers in the 28th round of Ligue 1 on April 5, he was not just talking about Paris Saint-Germain winning the fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title. This marks the beginning of a new concept, the beginning of a new era - Paris Saint-Germain no longer relies on individual star players, but a victory machine that has been carefully adjusted to perfection.

The reality that Louis Enrique once boldly claimed has now become an undeniable fact: Paris Saint-Germain without Mbappe is stronger. This seemingly absurd view has been verified through undisputed data and achievements.

In the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals held in the early morning of May 8, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal 2-1, thus advancing to the final with a total score of 3-1. This made Louis Enrique and his team dream of completing the trio, while also completely reshaping the image of the giant Paris.

In the era of Qatar Sports Investment Company, Paris Saint-Germain never achieved such a high winning rate in the Ligue 1 (82.1%). All this is not accidental, but the result of a well-thought-out strategic transformation.

By averaging 9.8 times per game, the highest ball possession rate (68.3%) and an average of 653 successful passes per game, Paris Saint-Germain became the embodiment of the philosophy of "died from ball possession" pursued by Luis Enrique. Years later, Princes Park Stadium finally found its identity.

Looking back at the history of Paris Saint-Germain, it is easy to see the changes. Once the central defender of Reims, Yunis Abdul Hamid, once commented: "Because the three Paris strikers do not participate in the defense, we can easily send the ball out of the defense."

This is his description of the MNM (Messi-Nemar Mbappe) era - Paris Saint-Germain had the world's top three attackers, but failed to build a solid whole. How to build a team that only has seven but not ten players on the court willing to return to defense?

Former coach Christoph Galtier faced this unsolvable problem and failed. The problem has eased with Messi and Neymar leaving in 2023, but Mbappe is still the last "passenger".

Luis Enrique saw through the question and bravely bet on a future without the French superstar. “Our team will get better off and defensively,” he announced confidently in February, and now the data proves he is right.

Mbappe's departure did not become a loss as many feared, but was the key to helping Paris Saint-Germain open a new chapter. Dembele, Bradley Bacola, Gonzalo Ramos, Desir Due - these players have all scored more than 10 goals this season. They are not stars shining alone, but the perfect puzzle in a diverse and unpredictable offensive system.

Paris Saint-Germain's invincible performance in the domestic arena is the result of Louis Enrique's application of the law of average. The goal will naturally come when you control the game and create a lot of opportunities. Paris Saint-Germain no longer relies on a certain genius moment, but on a well-organized team.

Nevertheless, this dominance also carries a...monotony. It's not because the style of playing is unattractive, but because the results are too predictable. It's like watching a blockbuster with a known ending - it still has entertainment value, but it lacks suspense. After years of chaos and unpredictability, Paris Saint-Germain has become what every top club dreams of—a powerful yet sometimes monotonous victory machine, no different from Manchester City under Guardiola.

Now, the team representing Paris has entered the Champions League final. The match against Italian giants Inter Milan in Munich on June 1 will be the ultimate test. The victory and loss are unknown, but one thing is clear: Paris Saint-Germain has found the formula for victory. This is not relying on individual star players, but on the power of a well-organized whole. As Hernandez said, it's just beginning.