Barcelona v PSG: Guérin impressed by Mbaye, not by the so-called 'feat'

In partnership with

Parisfans.fr

·3 octobre 2025

Barcelona v PSG: Guérin impressed by Mbaye, not by the so-called 'feat'

Vincent Guérin, former midfielder of Paris Saint-Germain, shared his insights in L’Équipe about the Parisians' 2-1 victory over Barcelona. While he refuses to call it an "exploit" for a weakened PSG, the ex-French international mainly highlighted the young players, particularly Ibrahim Mbaye (18 years old), whom he found surprising and promising.

Guerin "The Spanish coach knows his players perfectly"

"Does this success of a weakened PSG in Barcelona constitute an authentic exploit in your opinion? (He hesitates) Not really... With Luis Enrique, this Parisian group relies on a DNA and a style so deeply marked and identified that when there are absentees, those who replace them immediately fit into the mold of this construction. The Spanish coach knows his players perfectly, he makes them work in a hyper-coherent way and he has also learned the right lessons from the defeat in Marseille in Ligue 1 (0-1, September 22).

Guerin "He was tense at the start of the game, then we felt that he was freeing himself more and more as the match progressed"

Among the "Parisian titis" launched in this game, which one impressed you the most? Rather than Senny Mayulu, who was very efficient, notably with his goal, but whom we already knew since he had scored in the Champions League final (5-0 against Inter Milan on May 31, the last goal), I will mention Ibrahim Mbaye. He was tense at the start of the game, then we felt that he was freeing himself more and more as the match progressed, reflecting the team's performance and he achieved really amazing things."

For Vincent Guérin, the Parisian victory in Barcelona is not a miracle, but the reflection of a collective that has found its balance. With Luis Enrique, Paris Saint-Germain relies on an identifiable style, where physical intensity and collective discipline compensate for absences. This ability to press high, to multiply runs and to maintain the same pace from the start to the end of the match illustrates remarkable athletic preparation. It is also this context that explains why some judgments made on the young players, like Ibrahim Mbaye, are often too hasty.

Vidéos OneFootball

In a club like Paris, immediate consistency and the assurance of a veteran are demanded, forgetting that the progress of a titi goes through ups and downs. Guérin reminds, through his analysis, that we must look beyond the tensions of the start of a match: Mbaye freed himself, responded physically and showed unexpected qualities. It is exactly this combination of collective strength and gradual emergence of young talents that allows PSG to remain competitive even when weakened.

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