“We’re in the process of building a new identity” - Nasser Al-Khelaifi says winning the UCL isn’t an ‘obsession’ anymore for PSG
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has remarkably claimed that winning the UEFA Champions League is not the ultimate goal for the club anymore.
For many years the Champions League has been seen as the final frontier in the team's recent history. Since their big-money Qatari takeover in 2011, Europe's elite club competition remains the only trophy that has eluded PSG so far.
Al-Khelaifi, however, has played down that the club are under any pressure to achieve their goal. The club president has instead come out and said that PSG are more focused on building their own unique identity in European football. He believes that the results will come their way if the stakeholders surrounding the club are happy.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi was quoted as saying the following (via PSGhub on Twitter):
“The Champions League is not an obsession, it's over. We're in the process of building a new identity, our own style, our own playing principles, an attacking game and a new culture. That's what we want, and the results will follow."
He added:
"We want our players to enjoy playing, our staff to enjoy coaching and our fans to enjoy watching.”
It is safe to say that PSG are currently in a transition season. They hired Luis Enrique as their new manager ahead of the 2023-24 season and have also brought in many new players in the summer. The likes of Goncalo Ramos, Randal Kolo Muani, Ousmane Demblele, Marco Asensio, and Lucas Hernandez amongst other have all been brought in.
Paris Saint-Germain have also seen big-name players like Neymar, Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos leave them in the recently concluded summer transfer window.
PSG have not been at their dominant best in the early stages of the new season
The Ligue 1 has become synonymous with Paris Saint-Germain's dominance over the past decade. The Parisian giants, however, have struggled to find their footings in the early stages of the 2023-24 season.
As things stand, Luis Enrique's side are languishing in sixth place in the Ligue 1 standings, having amassed just eight points from six games. They recently suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of OGC Nice despite Kylian Mbappe netting a brace.
Paris Saint-Germain are scheduled to face fourth-placed Olympique Marseille in the league on Sunday (September 24). A win could see them get into the top four. They are, however, coming into the game on the back of a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.