PSG v Chelsea: Lizarazu keeps his cool, sees reasons for concern

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·13 March 2026

PSG v Chelsea: Lizarazu keeps his cool, sees reasons for concern

In L’Equipe, Bixente Lizarazu, 56 years old, former left-back for Bayern Munich and the French national team, tempered the enthusiasm surrounding Paris Saint-Germain after their 5-2 win against Chelsea. Behind Paris’s offensive efficiency, the pundit mainly emphasized the defensive lapses and the lack of collective control that are still evident.

Lizarazu: “It wasn’t a defender’s party, on either side!”

“Is this big win (5-2) really reassuring regarding PSG’s ability to gain momentum in this competition? This match certainly showed that the Parisians still have tremendous attacking power, but also glaring defensive shortcomings. It wasn’t a defender’s party, on either side! There were far too many gifts. I’d also like someone to explain to me why goalkeepers are asked to take so many risks in their build-up play, as the match turned on that, since the 3-2 goal (Vitinha, 74th minute) came from a huge mistake by Filip Jörgensen. There was still a major problem on Marquinhos’s side (mainly on the right), who was very often outpaced by Pedro Neto, as on the second goal (Enzo Fernandez, 57th minute). Fortunately, Willian Pacho completely shut down the opposing striker, Joao Pedro.

Lizarazu: “The prolonged absence of Fabian Ruiz is a real problem”

Beyond improving the defensive aspect, doesn’t PSG also need to regain more control in midfield? The prolonged absence of Fabian Ruiz is a real problem, and it’s true that this season we don’t see the ‘steamroller’ impression that PSG used to give, with a more solid and better-protected defense despite very attacking full-backs, who still play that way. In fact, it was Achraf Hakimi who provided the fifth goal to ‘Kvara’!”

Lizarazu’s perspective is that of a man for whom the score alone is not enough to convince. Yes, PSG reminded everyone that they can be very dangerous up front, but the former defender refuses to turn a blind eye to everything else. In his analysis, the Parisians gave away too much, suffered too much in certain phases, and relied too heavily on opponents’ mistakes, starting with Filip Jörgensen’s error on the 3-2 goal. He also points out a troubled right side, with Marquinhos often outpaced by Pedro Neto, whereas Willian Pacho, on the contrary, reassured by controlling Joao Pedro.

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Between the lines, his message is clear: scoring five goals is impressive, but without more control in midfield and more security at the back, this PSG is still far from being a fully reassuring team. It is often difficult for PSG to satisfy these “specialists.” While he is partly right on some points, it should also be noted that any analysis must be fair.

The specialists always say it, with Lizarazu leading the way: in the Champions League, you have to make fewer mistakes than your opponent, punish at the right moment, and that’s exactly what PSG did. Before the match, hell was promised to the Parisians, but this 5-2 victory wouldn’t be enough?

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