FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Luis Enrique's PSG secured their 47th victory of the season against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, equaling their best record from the 2015-16 season.
If they can also beat Xabi Alonso-led Real Madrid, they might just break the only record they have left to break. Real will face a very different PSG than the one they faced in two Champions League matches in 2022, with that upset going down as one of the greatest nights at the Bernabéu.
Little remains of that Pochettino team, although the defensive line will be distinct. They are Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes, in addition to Donnarumma and all four were starters on that tragic night for the Parisians. But this PSG without Neymar, without Mbappe and without Messi has been much more consistent and has managed to successfully turn the project around, despite what many considered suicidal. The figures are indisputable: in defense, only Botafogo has managed to beat the Italian in the last seven games. In attack, they have scored 164 goals so far this season, surpassed in their history only by 171 goals in the 2017-18 campaign.
Dembele and Due, formidable figures – There are two players signing for a 2024-2025 season that has been key for PSG to take a final step towards lifting the Champions League title. The first is Dembele, the main favorite so far for the "Ballon d'Or" and the most decisive player in the five major leagues. With his goal against Bayern, he reached 40 goals this season, but in the calendar year 2025 alone he has scored 26 goals and provided 8 assists. Meanwhile, Due also started quickly in January. That is when he began to compete with Barca for a place in the starting lineup. And in 2025, he has scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists, more than any other player aged 20 and under in the five major leagues. PSG's signings have given the team a boost this time, as seen with Due himself, a player who came through Rennes' youth academy. Luis Enrique also mourns the loss of William Paco against Madrid, a center-back who has become untouchable under the Asturian. And in the always-discussed winter transfer window, the club signed Kvaratskhelia, paying 70 million from Napoli, and he is another player who made a splash, signing a brilliant 2025.
Young squad – With his commitment to preparing players for the future, the average age of the squad continues to drop, becoming the second youngest team in Ligue 1, at 25 years and 96 days in a Champions League final. Against FC Spaly, Luis Enrique fielded the youngest team in PSG's history, with an average age of 21 years and 327 days. The new approach has seen the Asturian's squad now comprise almost 40% French, the highest since the Qatari management arrived at the club.
PSG continues to grow - PSG have not only managed to maintain their presence in international football without their "Galacticos", but have also managed to win the Champions League without them. In the season in which Pochettino's team lost at the Bernabéu, commercial revenue reached 383 million euros. This season it has reached 391 million euros. The club's philosophy has also changed. In 2022, Nasser al-Khelaifi was the main figure, but the club has diversified its sphere of power. The president is always the last figure, but Luis Campos and Luis Enrique have a level of decision-making power that was not there before. Since that defeat in Madrid, the club has also opened up to new investors, with the American fund "Arctos" buying 12.5% of the club's share capital, worth around 4.3 billion euros. After the triumph in the Champions League, PSG's value is estimated to increase to 5 billion euros. Nasser Al-Khelaifi bought PSG in 2011 through the QTI fund, buying the club for 70 million euros. Over time, he has transformed the club into a global brand, mainly thanks to deals with the Jordan Brand and the Kevin Durant group, the latter of which also became a minority shareholder in the French club. In 2011, the club had around 500,000 followers on social media and now has 230 million across all platforms. In 2011, the club's revenue was 90 million euros and by 2024 it will have reached 810 million euros, with the target of reaching 900 million euros by 2025.
Lini një Përgjigje