- PSG was hit hard by L’Equipe on Tuesday after the defeat against Bayern Munich
- The French champions have won just one of their first five games in Europe
- Liverpool correspondent LEWIS STEELE tells all in bombshell chat with Mo Salah – LISTEN NOW It all starts! New episodes every Monday and Thursday
PSG were slammed by French side L’Equipe in their post-match player ratings after Luis Enrique’s side lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
In their first season since the departure of talisman Kylian Mbappé les Parisiens have made an unbeaten start in the league and are currently six points clear of nearest challengers Monaco at the top of the table.
Although the club is performing at its best domestically, its performance in the new Champions League leaves much to be desired.
After beating newcomers Girona in their opening match, PSG went into Tuesday’s match without another win, sandwiched between a draw with PSV after defeats to Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.
At the Allianz Arena, Vincent Kompany’s side emerged victorious thanks to a goal from an unlikely scorer in Kim Min-Jae, with the defender’s header breaking the first-half deadlock.
The visitors’ evening went from bad to worse as Ousmane Dembele was sent off after the break, leading L’Equipe to give the Frenchman a rating of just 2/10.
PSG’s performance in Tuesday’s defeat by Bayern Munich has been negatively assessed by L’Equipe
Kim Min-Jae’s header in the first half condemned Les Parisiens to their third European defeat of the season
But even with the victory, Vincent Kompany’s team was not without criticism from the French side
Dembele wasn’t the only player to find himself in the line of fire, however, as Bradley Barcola, Joao Neves, Warren Zaire-Emery and goalkeeper Matvei Safonov all got threes for a team average of just 3.7/10.
Despite taking home the all-important three points, some Bayern players were not immune to criticism, with Harry Kane blasting a four after an uncharacteristically quiet display given his recent form in front of goal.
The only player to receive a rating above six out of ten was goalscorer Kim, who received a seven.
But it wasn’t just the ratings where L’Equipe made their feelings clear about PSG’s current state as a continental force in club football.
The publication lambasted the team’s current talent, calling the once star-studded squad a “former aspirational team.”
The newspaper added that PSG should have ‘implemented a sporting policy that offers as many talents as previous seasons’, suggesting their current squad is not up to standards.
PSG now have three games remaining as they look to claw their way back up to secure a place in the knockout stages.
If this does not work, it would be the first time since 2011/2012 that the club has failed to progress beyond the group stage of the Champions League.
Only PSG captain Marquinhos could escape the publication’s worst damning ratings
Harry Kane struggled to make a meaningful impact and received heavy ratings for his performance
But the strongest criticism was reserved for Ousmane Dembele, who only received a 2/10
The French attacker was sent off as his team hunted for an equalizer after half-time
After the match, head coach Enrique said: ‘In the first half we weren’t far behind, but we couldn’t contain their pressure. We couldn’t win the ball back in the opponent’s half.
‘After the break we had reason to hope by creating danger until the hour, after which sending off (Dembélé) was a serious mistake. Still, we stayed in the game until the end. In the end, Bayern deserved their victory.
‘It is a great privilege to be coach of PSG. The demands I place on myself take precedence over external pressure. My goal is to win as many titles as possible this season. Anyway, I repeat myself, but all the information I collect is very useful for the future.
Asked if he is confident that PSG can progress to the knockout stages, Enrique replied: ‘I was talking about the future in general. Everything I see in this project is interesting. I am responsible for the good and bad decisions
‘Instead of the three defeats, I prefer to talk about the three games we still have to play, three finals. We got too many points at home against teams that played less well than us.’