Demba Ba asks the right question about PSG

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·17 March 2026

Demba Ba asks the right question about PSG

Demba Ba (40 years old), a former striker trained in the Paris region who notably played for Hoffenheim, Newcastle, Chelsea, Besiktas, and Istanbul Basaksehir, was invited by Le Parisien to answer a few questions about Paris Saint-Germain ahead of their Champions League round of 16 second leg tonight against Chelsea. The opportunity for the former Senegalese international, now sporting director of Dunkerque (Ligue 2), to give a very clear opinion on the questions surrounding PSG.

Ba: “Which team wants to face PSG?”

“Can PSG retain their title? Yes, absolutely. They have the quality, they have the style of play. We’ll see about their physical and mental freshness. That’s been the question since the start of the season. But then, which team wants to face PSG? When you play against them, you don’t think, ‘Great! They’re tired, we’ll be fine.’ They’re a very tough team to beat. Any thoughts on PSG’s project? It’s been a very coherent project for several years. When there is alignment within a club between the owners, management, coaches, and players, everything moves forward. Their Champions League victory last year gave me a lot of hope as a young executive because I’ve always believed that success comes from creating a mindset, a collective spirit, and a symbiosis between all parts of a club.”

Ba: “We see consistency between the first team and the teams below.”

Can a youth academy player at PSG really hope to break through? Yes. Especially with the current setup at PSG. Their coach likes having young players, he doesn’t hesitate to trust them and give them playing time. Since he arrived, how many youngsters has he brought through? It’s huge. Mayulu scores in the Champions League final, Zaïre-Emery excels, Ibrahim Mbaye is there even if he plays less because the senior players have returned. The Parisians will continue to rely on their academy. Having attended Youth League matches, you can see the consistency between the first team and the teams below.”

Far from the doubts we often hear or read about PSG, the former striker brings the debate back to an interesting point, which coach Luis Enrique sometimes reminds us of. Paris, even with its imperfections, especially due to a difficult context, remains a formidable team. One can really wonder who would be happy to face them this season.

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Especially since there seems to be the expected rise in form, and no doubt the season was planned this way by the staff in managing the players. The level of the Champions League final will be hard to reach, but being just below that is still being particularly strong.

The collective is built, the players are fully committed, know how to put in the effort, and the talent is definitely there. PSG can always be ambitious, even if there are always obstacles. Including opponents who obviously deserve respect.

As for the Titis, a “concern” that comes up regularly, Ba’s comments are once again refreshing. No criticism or lingering doubts, rather the observation that PSG knows how to rely on its young players and that it’s naturally difficult to get regular playing time straight out of the academy. The academy is connected to the professional group through the playing philosophy. An interesting point.

And coach Luis Enrique isn’t closing the door. It’s just that you have to accept tough competition and fight for playing time. Those who want a guaranteed spot wouldn’t have a place with the Spanish coach anyway, who always rejects that idea.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.