"We have the impression that something is missing" - Blaise Matuidi admits he's disappointed with PSG's performances this season
Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player Blaise Matuidi has expressed his disappointment with the club's performances this season. While PSG currently find themselves on top of the Ligue 1 table, three points above Lens in second place, they haven't been at their dominant best domestically this season.
On Saturday, April 30, PSG suffered their latest embarrassing defeat when they went down 3-1 to Lorient at Parc des Princes. Former PSG player Matuidi has stated that something was 'missing' in the team and called for improvements.
Matuidi said (via French media Telefoot):
"We are disappointed. We have the impression that something is missing, that Paris can do much better in its approach, in its game, in the intensity."
Earlier, PSG manager Christophe Galtier called for this side to prove their worth and bounce back from the defeat when they face Troyes on Sunday, May 7. He also accused several players of dropping their standards in the second half of the season, saying:
“We have too many players below their level in this second half of the season. We just have to make the players react. We can’t have this kind of content. … Overall, it’s a big disappointment. We have to react quickly.”
He added:
“We don’t know how many points we will have at the end of the day. OM [Marseille] and Lens are running at full speed in the second half of the season. Ours is very average.”
The French champions have lost six times in the league in 2022-23. The last time they lost as many, or more, matches in a campaign was 2010-11 (eight defeats) when they finished fourth.
PSG could lose both Lionel Messi and Marco Verratti in the summer: Reports
Lionel Messi is in the final months of his Paris Saint-Germain contract and is widely expected to part ways with the club when the season ends. Reports have now emerged that Barcelona are optimistic about getting the green light from La Liga to sign Messi.
The La Liga giants believe that the league would give them some wiggle room by accepting their feasibility plan, according to Mundo Deportivo. Rafael Yuste, Barcelona's vice president, has stated that the club is working closely with the league on the issue.
Yuste was quoted by AS as saying:
"There are two months left in which we can work with [Javier] Tebas and present him with the viability, cash flow and income plan."
Meanwhile, PSG's star midfielder Marco Verratti is reportedly considering leaving the club this summer. According to L'Equipe, the Italian is unhappy with the atmosphere surrounding the team. The 30-year-old is also said to be irked at how often players become the target of the fans' anger despite the scope of potential errors from the management.