In a tightly contested match at the Parc des Princes, PSG extended their winless run in the Champions League to three games, leaving last year’s semi-finalists sitting in 25th place. Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid bounced back from their previous loss to Lille, securing a crucial victory.
The game was decided by an injury-time winner from substitute Ángel Correa, whose shot slipped under the hands of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Atlético now face a trip to Sparta Prague on 26 November, while PSG travel to Bayern Munich in Bavaria. Additionally, PSG will have the challenging task of facing Manchester City in their upcoming fixtures.
For those familiar with Atlético Madrid during Diego Simeone’s 13-year tenure, the Colchoneros relentless display of grit and determination came as no surprise.
In anticipation of PSG’s wealth of attacking talent, El Cholo deployed his side in a compact 4-4-2, aiming to strike on the counter and catch the Parisian side off guard in transition.
Buoyed by two wins in the Champions League this season, Atlético approached their task with intensity. Up front, veteran Antoine Griezmann and club record signing Julian Álvarez pressed relentlessly to disrupt PSG’s midfield supply, while further back, Rodrigo De Paul and Pablo Barrios worked tirelessly to contain any threats that slipped through.
Simultaneously, Atlético’s wide midfielders, including a young Giovanni Simone, were willing to drop back to form a back five, doubling up on PSG’s dangerous wingers like Ligue 1’s top scorer Bradley Barcola and the elusive Ousmane Dembélé.
To counter, PSG were forced to raise the tempo, moving the ball quickly to pull Atlético’s defenders out of position.
Early signs of success came when after a mistake from Clément Lenglet, Warren Zaïre-Emery cleverly lifted the ball over a helpless Jan Oblak to open the scoring.
Forced to respond, Atlético pressed forward, and fortune favoured the brave as Nahuel Molina struck back almost immediately. With the score tied, Atlético got back to business and shut the game down wherever they could.
Whilst it may not have been easy on the eye, Atlético’s players showed total commitment to the game plan.
Every ball recovery and hard tackle was met with roars of approval and encouraging slaps on the back, telling of a cohesive unit where everyone was ready to support each other.
Perhaps most impressively, even with five substitutions, Atlético’s rhythm and intensity never wavered. When asked about this, Simone remarked, “I like that we kept generating force.” This was plain to see when one of those substitutes, Correa, came on to score the decisive winner in injury time.
PSG’s Style of Play
Given that PSG currently sit six points clear in Ligue 1 with an impressive 29 goals in ten matches, you would be hard-pushed to say they are struggling in front of goal.
Yet, since superstar Kylian Mbappé’s summer departure to Real Madrid, PSG’s central strikers have often found it difficult to consistently convert their chances, regardless of who Luis Enrique has chosen to lead the line.
This was especially evident against Atlético on Wednesday night. PSG began with Marco Asensio at centre forward, yet, as Le Figaro observed post-match, his influence was minimal, with fans often only noticing him as he was subbed off. Randal Kolo Muani, brought on in the second half to capitalise on PSG’s chances, fared no better, leaving the Parisians still searching for a reliable finisher up front.
The stickers’ profligacy in front of goal may be partly attributed to the manager’s decision to employ a false nine rather than a traditional striker – a decision that highlights a manager acutely aware of the resources at his disposal.
Most of PSG’s goals this season have come from wide areas, with players like Barcola (8), Dembélé (5), and Kang-in Lee (4) leading the charge.
Or perhaps this may reflect the overall playstyle of PSG? Critics frequently highlight how predictable their attack has become, often unable to pose a threat in the air, an issue that was particularly apparent against a physical side like Atlético.
Regardless, Enrique will be hoping the return of Gonçalo Ramos provides a solution to some of his attacking woes. With a recognised striker, PSG could pose more of a threat to opposition defences, but time is running out for them to turn things around.
The Tie in Quotes
Enrique was understandably despondent in his post-match interview, lamenting his side’s defeat as both “inexplicable” and “unjust”. He was quick to highlight the frustrating similarity to their other Champions League outings, where they had dominated yet still found themselves on the wrong side of the result. “It’s very difficult to explain a streak like this; three games in the Champions league in which we’ve been much better than our opponents, and four points. It’s almost a robbery.”
“Everyone can form their own opinions but anyone who watched this game can see that the result was not fair. But life isn’t fair.“
Regardless of his true feelings about his players, Enrique was quick to defend them, “I can only speak wonders of my players, they have unbreakable faith, but with this streak that we are on, I can’t guarantee that we’ll qualify.”
The same cannot be said for Simone, who was questioned about his side’s performance and responded that the result was a testament to their commitment to a defensive system rooted in collective action. “This game showcased what we do well, we have a clear idea,” he said. “We’ve been working, building for 12 years, and we won’t deviate from that plan, whether people like it or not.”
The PSG players were also candid about their current situation. Captain Marquinhos admitted, “We are not improving in terms of efficiency. Sometimes when we make mistakes in the Champions League we are not punished for it, but when you have top players in the other team then you are [punished].”
Ballon d’Or nominee Vitinha also weighed in, saying, “Small details make the difference and we couldn’t find a way to take the lead. We need to improve how we play and keep a cool head.”