PSG pre-season struggles
PSG took back the throne they lost to Monaco two seasons ago, finishing 13 points ahead of their main title rival. Even though Unai Emery led the Paris side to 29 wins and only 3 league losses, he was sacked following the team’s early Champions League exit to the eventual winners, Real Madrid. Thomas Tuchel is the manager now and the German has had a less than stellar pre-season in which Paris Saint-Germain have been beaten by Chambly (4-2), Bayern Munich (3-1) and Arsenal (5-1). There is an excuse for Tuchel, who has been without most of his first-team players because of their World Cup assignments.
Neymar back?; Nkunku a rising star?
The last friendly was a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid. That, along with the news Neymar could be back in time to suit up for the Super Cup clash tomorrow at 14:00 CET in China’s Shenzen should be a big boost for this club. 20-year-old Christopher Nkunku has been by far and away the best player during PSG’s pre-season. The winger’s dazzling moves and confidence might have earned him a place in Tuchel’s roster to start the season. It wouldn’t be surprising to even see him start in the right winger spot that is usually reserved for Kylian Mbappe. Both he and Edinson Cavani will not feature in the Trophee des Champions.
Monaco lose more stars
Monaco lost several key players from the team which won the 2016/17 Ligue 1 title, but Leonardo Jardim still managed to lead the team to a second place finish. He lost a couple more members of that fantastic team when Thomas Lemar opted to join Antoine Griezmann in Atletico Madrid, while Fabinho headed north to England’s Liverpool. Djibril Sidibe is the last knight and he too could be sold by the end of the transfer window.
Two losses to Paderborn and Hamburger SV and a draw against Bochum are far from encouraging signs for Jardim’s squad ahead of the Super Cup final. The fact that Monaco has lost each of the last six meetings between the teams, conceding a massive 23 goals, only adds to the concerns among the fan base. Radamel Falcao, Djibril Sidibe and Danijel Subasic will all miss the game, while Almamy Toure is absent with a hip injury.
PSG and Monaco transfer activity
PSG have been unusually quiet this transfer window, with Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon as the biggest name to join the roster. He will take over from Kevin Trapp as the club’s No.1 goalie, relegating Alphonse Areola to third-string duties. He might very well leave the team.
Aleksandr Golovin is Monaco’s most expensive acquisition. The Russian attacking midfielder was one of the breakout stars of the 2018 World Cup in his own backyard and was thought to be on his way to Chelsea for a long time. However, Monaco’s owner Dmitry Rybolovlev managed to persuade him to come to France instead.
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