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“It’s a mix of beauty and frustration,” says the team's head coach. The French club's coach has a tricky relationship with how his squad's league matches unfold. In PSG's matches, one team attacks and the other protects. “I like attacking a low block,” he insists. “It is the phase of play that I am most familiar with. I appreciate the diversity of football approaches. Though unconventional compared to our style, I acknowledge and welcome it.”

Facing defensive teams isn't optional for PSG; this is their regular experience, due to the talent imbalance created by budget inequality. Their talent usually tells and the defensive wall is broken with varying degrees of difficulty. But it has been tougher this season.

Game Dominance But Poor Output

PSG have averaged nearly three-quarters of possession in France's top flight so far this campaign. Facing Nice in their recent match, they had dominant ball control and made over 750 passes, against just Nice's 182. Before the break, Vitinha had numerous ball contacts – merely six short than the entire Nice team – but PSG failed to convert their control. When the first period ended, the visiting team's defender, whose header was cleared off the line by his teammate, had nearly scored.

This match wasn't an exception. The Parisians had tied three out of four Ligue 1 games. With 71% ball control against their opponents, but were needing a late Senny Mayulu equaliser to earn a draw. Even with 77% possession against another French side in midweek, they managed just one goal and were unable to win. Nearly a third of the way into the season, PSG are only the fifth top scorers in Ligue 1 – trailing several other French clubs.

Strike Force Problems

It is a result of the particular attention that PSG receive, but also shows a serious concern. Their goal scorers are underperforming. Ousmane Dembélé’s 29 goals last season contributed to PSG's Ligue 1 and the continental trophy; Bradley Barcola scored 14 goals in the league; The talented youngster hit 16 across all tournaments; and Kvaratskhelia scored several times after his mid-season arrival.

The forward claimed the golden ball and, while it is debatable that the France international is indeed the best player in the world, it is hard to dispute that he was not the top performer of the 2024-25 campaign. He has just five strikes in 12 matches this season. He encountered a muscle problem while on country representation in early autumn, which gave rise to a blame game between PSG and the national squad that has seen the connection between club and country worsen. He was unavailable for around six weeks of action as a result, but he still doesn’t look right. Post-match against their rivals, he was seen holding his thigh. “It's very painful,” he told club colleague.

Injury Concerns

Their manager says their star can play to face their European opponents this week in the continental tournament but, while he returns to full fitness, teammates must contribute. Unfortunately, Doué cannot help. The young attacker was also injured in September. He was returning to his best when he was affected by another muscle issue, which is expected to rule him out until the new year. Kvaratskhelia is a important contributor to his team but he often excels mainly for the important matches in the European stage; he is still without a goal in Ligue 1 this season. Another forward, PSG’s leading marksman in all competitions this season, has just one score in his last eight games and is in a fallow period. Something of a purple-patch forward, the form will certainly come back, but he isn't the solution to be the goalscorer in this expensively assembled PSG attack.

Their center forward scored the winner against Nice but will he maintain his position in the team?

These were the expectations given to their striker when he arrived in last year. Their number nine reached the milestone of 100 matches for PSG against Nice, but he has been a substitute in the majority of those appearances. With nearly half his total after entering as a replacement, he has effectively embraced the role of the “impact player”, somewhat owing to his ineffectiveness when selected, but primarily because of his coach's hesitation to field a traditional striker. “Why do I score so many goals off the bench? Basically because I'm substituted in more often than I begin games,” remarked Ramos after the match.

Turning Point

With their attack struggling across the frontline, his late decisive goal has given his boss decisions to make. The striker was unsuccessful with earlier attempts before taking his fourth and deciding the game, but the fact that their prime opportunities were created for him is revealing. He’s an instinctive poacher and that is what PSG were acquiring when they made a significant investment. “His role is vital for us because he is constantly prepared for every match, whether he starts or not,” said their coach. “Even brief appearances from Gonçalo are quality minutes.” Perhaps now is the opportunity for the impact substitute to play a major part.

Ligue 1 Outcomes

• Rennes 4-1 Strasbourg
• Lens 3-0 Lorient
• Lille 1-0 Angers
• Nantes 0-2 Metz
• Toulouse 0-0 Le Havre
• Brest 0-0 Lyon
• PSG 1-0 Nice
• Monaco 0-1 Paris FC
• Auxerre 0-1 Marseille

League Standings

Position	Team	Played	Goal Difference	Points
1	PSG	11	12	24
2	Marseille	11	14	22
3	Lens	11	7	22
4	Lille	11	10	20
5	Monaco	11	6	20
6	Lyon	11	4	20
7	Strasbourg	11	6	19
8	Nice	11	0	17
9	Toulouse	11	2	15
10	Rennes	11	1	15
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