French media deliver harsh verdict on Barcelona after PSG defeat | OneFootball

FC Barcelona came up on the short end of a 1-2 scoreline from their blockbuster UEFA Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain, and the Catalans’ performance in this game has been keenly observed and commented on by various commentators.

Naturally, the French media has been rather celebratory of their own club’s victory. Meanwhile, as Mundo Deportivo has reported, some of the most notable news outlets in France have also highlighted the weaknesses shown by the Blaugranes in this game.

L’Équipe, the most prominent French sports outlet, was particularly blunt in its analysis. “Barcelona showed a worrying defensive weakness against PSG. In the second half, the whole team ended up collapsing,” it wrote, adding that the Parisians had become the first club to record three consecutive away victories over Barça in the Champions League.

The paper also highlighted individual concerns within the squad. Inigo Martinez’s summer move to Al-Nassr was described as “a real loss,” noting that his absence has left Pau Cubarsi more exposed on his return from injury.

While Eric Garcia was praised as “the pleasant surprise of the start of this season,” L’Équipe stressed that it was not enough to contain PSG’s dominance. In midfield, Frenkie de Jong was labelled “disappointing,” Dani Olmo “a ghost,” and even Pedri was noted to have looked “very alone at times.”

Le Parisien echoed this sentiment, describing a Barça side “in shock” after being “trampled” by PSG. The outlet also recalled Flick’s candid words after the final whistle: “We are still not at PSG’s level. They are the champions of Europe, let’s not forget that.”

La Provence, meanwhile, praised the Parisians’ authority: “PSG offered a solid performance at the start and a spectacular one afterwards, showing why they were crowned champions of Europe.” It also pointed out that despite the return of Lamine Yamal, the teenager lacked his usual spark.

Finally, RMC Sport emphasized that Luis Enrique’s side achieved the win despite notable absences, further underlining the gulf between the two teams.

For FC Barcelona, the verdict from France was unanimous: their problems go beyond one bad night. As L’Équipe put it, “It gives the impression of a divided team.”

The absence of defensive solidity was quite apparent for Barcelona in this game, but hopefully, Hansi Flick will be able to find a solution to this problem going forward, especially before the knock-out rounds of the competition begin.