Is 2017 the year of Paris Saint-Germain?
After arguably the most ridiculous transfer window in football history, the new season is off to a start, and one question on every football fan's mind is: will PSG finally establish themselves as a European powerhouse?
After the big money takeover in 2011 by Nasser Al-Khelaifi, PSG have dominated domestically, winning four consecutive league titles between 2012 and 2016. Yet, they have always flattered to deceive on the continental stage. For the past four seasons, they have been knocked out in the quarterfinals of the UCL, never really posing a threat to the "Big Three" of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
When a domestic league is dominated as much as PSG has dominated Ligue 1, their success is measured in terms of their Champions League performances. In that sense, PSG have been below expectations. Last season especially will be considered a failure, having lost out to Monaco in the league as well.
Yet, the difference between last year and the preceding ones is that 2016-17 was their first season post the takeover without Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The towering Swede was at the heart of their four title wins, and last season, they lacked a marquee name in spite of having a talented squad.
This season, there will be no excuses. PSG have grabbed all the headlines this summer, having captured the signature of Neymar from Barcelona for an eye watering 222 million euros, and the equally mind boggling loan signing of Kylian Mbappe from title challengers Monaco.
Though not a like-for-like replacement, they will hope that Neymar can have the same effect on the squad that Zlatan did. The Brazilian has already shown glimpses of what he can offer, albeit against weaker French teams. Mbappe has not made an appearance yet, but his signing will have surely weakened their main title rivals, paving their path to yet another successful domestic campaign.
True, Monaco have made some quality signings as well, but Mbappe is not the type of player you replace in one season. Add to that the departures of Bernardo Silva, Bakayoko, Benjamin Mendy, Nabil Dirar, and the ageing legs of Radamel Falcao, they have essentially lost the heart of their title winning team from last season. PSG will have no excuses on the domestic front.
Even though Dani Alves is the only other big name signing for PSG, the only way they can justify the insane amount of money they have spent is with a strong Champions League showing. They have sufficient depth and talent in all three departments to go all the way. Only winning a UCL title can be considered a successful season.
With Brazilians Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Dani Alves in defence, they have the right blend of youth and experience. In the midfield, they have the experience of Thiago Motta, youthful exuberance of Adrien Rabiot and the insanely talented Marco Verratti and Javier Pastore. And of course, an exaggeration of riches up front: Angel Di Maria, Edinson Cavani, Julian Draxler, Lucas Moura, Neymar and Mbappe. The fact that Di Maria would probably not be in their best XI speaks for itself.
Neymar's hazy dribbling skills and pinpoint passing, combined with Cavani and Mbappe's deadly finishing means they will have no problems on the goalscoring front. Neymar has already shown that he can combine extremely well with Cavani, scoring thrice and assisting thrice so far. Neymar himself is a lethal finisher, and PSG also have the creative genius of Veratti and Pastore providing the front three from midfield.
It is also exciting to see how Mbappe and Cavani work together, given the Frenchman's partnership with Falcao last season. Cavani possesses qualitites similar to the Colombian striker.
It remains to be seen whether Mbappe will play as a striker in a 4-4-2 formation, the position he played in at Monaco, or as a winger in a 4-3-3. He definitely has the qualties to play in either position, but there is a very real possibility of Cavani being left out of the starting XI for Mbappe. Choosing how to handle the two of them will prove to be one of the biggest challenges for Unai Emery.
Defensively, Dani Alves wll prove to be a great, if short term, addition. The Brazilian proved that Barca made a big mistake in letting him leave, having stuggled to replace him two seasons on. He had a mercurial impact at Juventus, putting in some amazing performances in the UCL. At PSG, he will also provide his winning mentality apart from experience, and solidity down the right. The centre back pairing of Silva and Marquinhos, though not eye catching, is solid enough. Layvin Kurzawa on the left is a fast improving left back, one of the best in Ligue 1.
As far as the Champions League is concerned, PSG's big money signings couldn't have come at a better time. Barcelona are definitely at their weakest in the last decade or so, with an inevitably ageing squad, and La Masia producing very few notable first team players for the past few years. If the two were to meet right now, there is no doubt who would come out on top.
Bayern, meanwhile, have lost core experienced members of their squad in Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso, both regular first teamers last season. They have signed exciting young replacements, but these are big shoes to fill. The famed "Robbery" duo of Robben and Ribbery are nearing the end of their careers as well. The German giants are in a period of transition, and will find it difficult to mount a serious challenge for the UCL.
Although there are five Premier League teams in the competition this season, English sides are still a long way from being potential Champions League winners. None of the five squads have the stability, or indeed the talent of other European superpowers, and add to that the taxing schedule of the Premier League. PSG should have no problem in getting past any of them, should they meet in the UCL this season.
Real Madrid still remain a formidable force in Europe. Zidane has turned out to be an astute manager, leading his side to two back to back UCL victories, as well as the La Liga last season. But their draw with Valencia last week showed that they have vulnerabilities as well. When it comes to Real and PSG, it will all be down to tactics, with both the squads being equally strong. Unai Emery's La Liga experience might turn out to be useful.
Juventus and Atletico provide a different kind of challenge. Both are defensively solid and play on the counter, and will prove to be tricky opponents. But if any side has the attacking power to unlock these defences, it is PSG.
In spite of a tricky group stage draw with Bayern, Celtic and Anderlecht, PSG should comfortably qualify. Their clash with Bayern in Paris will be one of the stand out fixtures of September, and might even define their season going forward.
PSG's performance against one of the current European heavyweights might give fans a glimpse into the future of both PSG and the Champions League, a future where the centre of power in European football shifts away from Spain and Germany, and towards France.