Why Has PSG Failed to Win in Their First Three Matches?

Paris Saint-Germain have had a difficult start to the season and have gone three matches without a win.

After three matches, they are already seven points behind league leaders Monaco.

Paris Saint-Germain 2:2 Rennes,

Paris Saint-Germain 2:2 Lille,

Paris Saint-Germain 1:2 Monaco.

In the three matches, Ferran and Marquinhos each scored two goals, while Vitinha scored one goal.

Dembélé, Doué and others have yet to score.

What problems have PSG's poor start revealed, and what are the reasons behind it?

1. The aftermath of transfers and a change in transfer strategy

This summer, Paris Saint-Germain sold Ramos for €85 million, Barcola for €125 million, and also sold Mbaye, Lee Kang-in and others, generating €350 million in revenue.

They spent €50 million on Ferran, with total spending of around €160 million and net transfer income of €180 million, ranking first among the top five European leagues in player sales revenue.

The effects of these transactions cannot yet be determined, but they may have had a competitive impact.

After winning their first Champions League title and successfully defending the championship, PSG inevitably needed to adjust their transfer strategy.

After achieving their Champions League goal, PSG's recruitment and transfers will inevitably become more rational.

After the departure of the extremely highly paid and highly influential Mbappé, the sales of Donnarumma, Barcola and Ramos became signals of this change.

In particular, the fact that Neymar, Messi and Mbappé failed to win the Champions League while at PSG, but the team won two consecutive Champions League titles after their departures, made PSG understand further that money cannot necessarily buy championships.

Long-term planning and building the team rationally are needed to stabilize the squad and unite everyone toward winning titles.

2. A possible decline in motivation after gaining many honors

Paris Saint-Germain have won consecutive Champions League titles and Ligue 1 titles, and last season they won every trophy except the Club World Cup.

Dembélé won the Ballon d'Or and was named World Footballer of the Year.

For all of PSG's key players, having accumulated honors may mean their motivation is not as high as before.

3. The rise of other teams

Ligue 1 teams Monaco, Lille and Lyon are also rising, and they are already ranked in the top three this new season.

Lyon are a team that won seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles, Monaco are also traditional Ligue 1 powerhouses, and Lille are continuing to improve.

PSG's main goal in recent years has been the Champions League. Last season they won their first Champions League title, and this season they successfully defended the Champions League title.

If PSG want to continue dominating Ligue 1, they will inevitably face challenges.

4. Injuries and adjustments to form

This season, almost all of PSG's key players participated in the World Cup, and their form is still being adjusted.

Enrique has also not allowed the previously injury-prone Dembélé to go all out, instead allowing him to adapt to matches as a substitute.

Doué's form is also not as good as before after returning from injury.

Mendes, Neves and others have also been affected by injuries.

Although PSG have gone three matches without a win, their strength remains clearly above other Ligue 1 teams. Once they regain their form, they can still compete for the title.

5. Tactical restrictions from opponents

Enrique has been at PSG for three years, and his tactics have already become familiar to Ligue 1 teams.

All teams have certainly developed tactics targeting Paris Saint-Germain, using positional defense and counterattacks. If PSG are not in good form or make even slight mistakes, they cannot be guaranteed to win.

PSG's three-match winless run can also help prevent Ligue 1 from becoming a situation where one team dominates for a long time.

Greater competition makes the game more exciting, as seen in the Premier League, which has won the most fans.