Champions League Preview: Paris Saint-Germain Face Bratislava, Can They Bounce Back?

Among the giants in Europe's top five leagues this season, which team has performed the worst? Many people might point to Ligue 1 powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain. In the first three Ligue 1 matches, they recorded two draws and one defeat, collecting only two points, placing them 13th in the table and just one point above the relegation zone. Among the Premier League's BIG6 teams, only Tottenham's performance can be compared, as Tottenham also struggled in their first three matches, earning only one point and sitting in the relegation zone. However, Tottenham had also fallen to fourth from bottom in the Premier League in the previous two seasons, and returning to form requires time, while competition in the Premier League has become increasingly fierce. But in Ligue 1, who else can compete with PSG?

Despite their poor start this season, PSG, who have already achieved consecutive league titles, remain one of the favorites in the Champions League. So how will they perform in European competition?

The upcoming match is Paris Saint-Germain against Bratislava. This game is the first round of the Champions League group stage and will be played at 03:00 on September 10. Bratislava, a traditional powerhouse in Slovakia, has nearly dominated the Slovak Super League and has achieved eight consecutive league titles. This season, they have recorded four wins and two defeats in six matches, ranking fourth in the league with 12 points, four points behind leaders DAC Dunajska Streda.

Bratislava began their Champions League journey from the second qualifying round, eliminating Saburtalo, Mjallby, and Celje to successfully reach this season's main competition. Although Bratislava's squad has a total market value of only 36.34 million euros, with their highest-valued player, 21-year-old midfielder Marcelli, valued at only 6.5 million euros, PSG's squad value reaches 1.36 billion euros and includes top players such as Dembele and Kvaratskhelia. It is worth noting that the true star of the Slovak side is their head coach, Ivorian legend Yaya Toure. During his playing career, he represented Barcelona and Manchester City, and briefly joined China League One side Qingdao Huanghai in 2019. As a coach, he served as an assistant coach at Ukrainian club Olimpik in 2021 and officially took charge of Bratislava in July 2023, becoming a head coach for the first time.

Looking at the recent form of both teams, Paris Saint-Germain have a record of two wins, four draws, and four defeats in their last 10 matches across all competitions, and they remain winless in their last four games. Bratislava, meanwhile, have performed well in their recent 10 matches, recording six wins, two draws, and two defeats. The last meeting between the two sides came in the 2011-12 Europa League group stage, when PSG held the advantage with one win and one draw in their two encounters. They drew 0-0 away and won 1-0 at home.

Currently, PSG only have their 18-year-old third-choice goalkeeper Longoni unavailable due to injury, and the squad is almost fully available. Enrique's starting lineup decisions and the players' form are the main points of attention. Since the start of the season, Enrique has tried several attacking combinations, including a front three of Dembele, Kvaratskhelia, and Doue, before replacing them with Ferran Torres and Akliouche, but the results have not been ideal. In addition, the defense has not reached its best level, conceding two goals in each of their first three league matches.

In this matchup, PSG are clearly favored to bounce back, and fans are looking forward to their performances on the Champions League stage.