Hargreaves: 'PSG should rip off current project'
"PSG should rip up their whole project and start over," commented Hargreaves after PSG's 0-2 loss to Bayern in the second leg of the 1/8 Champions League round on March 8. "PSG has almost no potential French players in the squad, it's ridiculous."
The former Bayern and Man Utd midfielder cited the fact that Bayern is proud to own the best stars in Germany such as Thomas Muller, Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich or Leon Goretzka.
On the Allianz field yesterday, PSG entered the game well and had two delicious opportunities of Lionel Messi and Vitinha. In the 26th minute, from Nuno Mendes' cross, the Argentinian star tried to dribble and finish but failed before the closeness of Alphonso Davies and goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Less than 10 minutes later, Sommer lost the ball, giving Vitinha a chance to shoot into the empty goal, but Mathijs de Ligt moved back to break it just above the line.
Missing a delicious opportunity, the Ligue 1 representative had to pay the price, letting Eric Choupo-Moting and Serge Gnabry score for Bayern in the second half. The result of losing 0-3 over two legs made PSG eliminated in the round of 16 for the second time in a row, after losing to Real in the 2021-2022 season.
According to Hargreaves, PSG should only invest in one or two stars to lead young players, and need to recruit potential French players. The 42-year-old former midfielder listed players who could potentially play for PSG including Youssouf Fofana, Christopher Nkunku and Ousmane Dembele. "PSG can win Ligue 1 with these young French players, but must rip off the current project," Hargreaves insisted.
Fofana, born in Paris in 1999, and currently plays for AS Monaco, while Nkunku is a striker for RB Leipzig and reached an agreement to join Chelsea for a fee of $ 60 million in the summer of 2023. Last season, he had 35 goals and 20 assists. Through 52 matches in all competitions, Leipzig won the German Cup, and personally won the title of Best Player in the Bundesliga and the German Cup.
Dembele was targeted by PSG, but joined Barca for $ 115 million from Dortmund, to replace Neymar in 2017. At Camp Nou, he and Barca won two La Ligas, two King's Cups and a Spanish Super Cup.
Joe Cole shared his opinion when he thought that PSG needed to invest in French players. According to the former England midfielder, Messi, Mbappe and Neymar distract PSG with problems off the pitch that often become the focus of attention.
"The difference between Bayern and PSG is how the club is run," Cole analyzed. "With PSG, superstars come and there always seems to be trouble. Bayern don't have that. They go through difficult times, but always keep stability internally. PSG have good players. the best in the last 20 years, and young French players are scattered all over Europe. I think the PSG project looks like it's going to fail in the end."
