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·23 Januari 2026

PSG – Chevalier needs support, not criticism, says former Paris player

Lucas Chevalier was not convincing against Sporting Portugal on Tuesday (2-1 defeat, 7th matchday of the Champions League), and so the criticism is once again falling on the 24-year-old Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper who was praised not long ago. This Friday morning, L’Equipe is even wondering if he could be “dropped” by the locker room. Former Parisian defender Patrick Colleter (1991-1996) shared his point of view.

Colleter: “Afterwards, it depends on each person’s character.”

“Losing his teammates? No, I don’t think so. Not at this level. He’s going through a tough time, but he has the qualities. It’s precisely up to his teammates to reassure him. He isn’t decisive, sure, but this is a period when he needs help rather than being buried. Sometimes, it’s also the opposite. The goalkeeper is decisive while one or two of his defenders are having a bad game. I remember with Bernard (Lama), there were times when I was having a bad day. He would yell at me, but in a good way. Is it better to comfort him or yell at him? In the end, it depends on each person’s character.”

It’s worth noting here that behavior, reactions, and needs all depend on character. Nothing very surprising, but apparently it’s something that needs to be rediscovered from time to time. Maybe Chevalier needs to be left alone, maybe he needs special support, possibly with encouragement, or maybe with a tougher approach. It’s impossible to be sure without being in the group, close to the goalkeeper. This reminds us of coach Luis Enrique’s jab at the press conference, with journalists speaking out without having the information.

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There’s no need to look for a possible “drama,” with Chevalier being pushed away by the group. There isn’t the slightest concrete indication of this, and it would be a terrible reaction from the players. We count on them to know that there are more difficult moments in a career and to adopt the right response for their teammate.

Almost all of Tuesday’s starters have already gone through periods of doubt, and all of them can also share responsibility for the defeat. It’s as a group that they need to react and move forward, which PSG has been repeating since 2023 with the arrival of coach Luis Enrique.

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