3 reasons why Paris Saint-Germain are still struggling in Europe
Paris Saint-Germain have won the last five Ligue1 titles in the last six years signalling their domination in France. But their quest for Europe's ultimate glory still seems tough to reach. Over the years, they have strengthened their squad, changed managers and invested huge amounts of money but they were left disappointed in the UEFA Champions League every time.
Currently, they sit third on arguably the 'group of death' in the Champions League this season. They were held by Napoli in an entertaining 2-2 draw and any more lapses will send them to the Europa league.
Both Napoli and Liverpool are ahead and better suited to qualify into the Champions League knockouts. However, PSG going into the last 16 stage is not completely impossible at this moment.
It was not a convincing performance from PSG despite Angel Di Maria's late equalizer. They are a dominant force in French Football but UEFA Champions League is still an obstacle for the Ligue 1 giants.
Let us evaluate three vital reasons due to which PSG have failed so far in their quest for European domination.
#3. Mentality
Despite having one of the best squads in Europe, PSG are still looking to increase their dominance. But their repeated failures in the Champions League only suggests why the European competition needs different mettle altogether.
The UEFA Champions League is played out between 32 of the best clubs in Europe. There are four knockout rounds after the group stages and there is no place for error. Good teams like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Atletico Madrid have managed to show great consistency over the years in the Champions League due to their resilient mentality.
Real Madrid won the Champions League last season and 4th time in five years despite performing extremely poorly in the Spanish League in two of these seasons. They had leaders who stepped up at the right moment and proved themselves in the crunch times.
Although filled with extraordinary talents, PSG are yet to show the type of mentality winners need. They were often bogged down in tough moments. Instead of raising the bar, they let their heads fall, which is why teams got the better of them in recent years. If they want to succeed, they must keep their head up even when they are the second best team on the pitch.