Are Galactico-less PSG in danger of Champions League exit?

On 28 September 2021 three of the world's biggest players - Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar - lined up as part of a mouth-watering Paris St-Germain attack against Manchester City.

The trio caused Pep Guardiola's side numerous problems and all played their part in an impressive 2-0 win.

But that didn't happen often enough and, despite boasting such huge names in their forward line, it never brought PSG Champions League success.

The Galacticos are now gone, with PSG having this summer pursued a new identity based around youth and utilising their own academy rather than buying expensive superstars.

But, despite that, the wait for a maiden Champions League win is under threat of being extended for another season.

They have won only one of their four games in the competition this term and face a daunting task of trying to record their second win at Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

It is business as usual for PSG in Ligue 1 as they sit six points clear at the top of the and are unbeaten after 12 games.

But in Europe it is a different story. After beating Girona 1-0 in their opening League phase game, they drew 1-1 with PSV Eindhoven and lost 2-1 to Atletico Madrid.

That leaves them 25th in the 36-team league and five points off eighth - the final place that qualifies automatically for the next round of the Champions League.

It is not an insurmountable deficit but the big concern for PSG so far has been their inability to finish chances.

They have had more shots on goal than their opponents in each of their games - and 58 in total - but have only three goals to show for it.

"If you don’t take your chances, however good you are, it’s not happening, and it’s not happening for PSG in the Champions League this season," French football expert Julien Laurens said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues podcast following PSG's defeat by Atletico.

"They need 20 chances to score one goal. The other team sneeze and they score."

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague added: "It’s a false table because PSG had 22 shots at goal [against Atletico]. Any other day you win the game.

"pManager] Luis Enrique insisted all the Champions League games have been the same - a clear problem with the quality of the finishing, only the quality of the finishing."

Mbappe left PSG in the summer to join Real Madrid, marking the end of the era of the Galacticos.

The French side have long dominated their domestic league but even having an array of star-studded talent in their team did not bring success in Europe.

That in part was down to Messi, Neymar and Mbappe not always being available to play together and, when they were, it didn't click as often as hoped.

The club are now hoping a change in identity will bring them the success in Europe that has eluded them.

That change has been to focus on youth and, in their season opener against Le Havre, they started three teenagers - Ibrahim Mbaye, 16, Warren Zaire-Emery, 18, and Yoram Zague, 18 - and only two players over 25.

In the league it is 22-year-old Bradley Barcola who has stepped up in Mbappe's absence, with the forward having scored 10 goals in 12 games to sit top of the scoring charts.

He has yet to carry that form into the Champions League, however, with no goals in his four European appearances this term.

"There's a lot of pressure on Barcola," European football expert Mina Rzouki said.

"We always focus on all their stars. How important was it to have someone who can deliver under pressure those goals?

"Is it good they moved away from all that? It was necessary because of what happened in the dressing room but maybe they need a balance."

Mbappe is undoubtedly a huge loss to PSG in terms of goals, having scored 256 of them in 308 appearances across all competitions in his six years at the club.

France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry said earlier this season that without Mbappe PSG have lost a bit of "magic" but they now have more stability.

"I think they are a team," Henry told CBS Sports Golazo. "They are a bit more stable - less counters. But they still lost Mbappe.

"It's very difficult. For example in a game like that [the 1-1 draw with PSV last month], Kylian can turn it into a 2-1 or a winning goal towards the end - a moment of magic. He can turn it around.

"You lost a bit of magic but the team looks a bit more sound in terms of balance."

There is still plenty of time for results to improve for PSG in Europe and for them to do enough to progress beyond the League phase of the Champions League.

For that to happen, however, they need to start finishing the chances they create but their remaining fixtures will give them hope of doing what is required.

After Bayern Munich on Tuesday they have away trips to RB Salzburg and Stuttgart and a home game against an out-of-sorts Manchester City.

They have five points to make up from those remaining fixtures to have a chance of finishing in the top eight, but if they fail to manage that then finishing between ninth and 24th will send them into a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the knockouts.

"There's still 12 points to be won so it’s not completely over," Laurens added.

"At some point it will pay off. They’ll be better and win games."