Christophe Dugarry, a former French international forward turned sports pundit, spoke on RMC Sport this Monday evening. During the show Rothen S’enflamme, the man who played for clubs including Girondins de Bordeaux and FC Barcelona took the opportunity to vent his frustration regarding Paris Saint-Germain. He accuses PSG of failing to show sufficient respect for Ligue 1.
Dugarry: “I no longer watch PSG’s league matches.”
“It’s a problem to see Paris playing at this level. For Luis Enrique, the players, and the supporters, a season has essentially become a matter of ‘managing’ games—and everyone seems to think that’s normal. Even the fans think it’s normal. I don’t watch PSG’s league matches anymore. It doesn’t interest me; I have better things to do. Besides, the message being sent is a negative one. They don’t even bother to pretend that they might make the match worth watching.”
Dugarry: “Surely you could do better.”
“Of course, they’re in ‘management’ mode—they aren’t going to play the way they do in the Champions League, which is understandable. But surely they could do better and offer something more, with a bit more desire? Just think about the people sitting in the stands.”
It is quite difficult to respond to such a statement, given how flimsy it is. Let’s start with the obvious: how can Dugarry criticize PSG’s performance against Troyes—or their general level of commitment in Ligue 1 matches—if he doesn’t even watch the games? Is he basing his opinion solely on the final scores and what he hears from others? In that case, can he really serve as a sports pundit for one of the most-listened-to media outlets in France? And what, then, is his opinion actually worth? Isn’t it his “message” that is “negative” for French football? Especially since he himself pointed out that it’s only natural for Paris not to play the same way they do in the Champions League.
That is, in fact, quite understandable, given that it is a different competition. The format is shorter, and the level of opposition is often tougher—not to mention that other clubs have extra motivation for these specific matches. It’s only logical. Yet, in every Ligue 1 fixture, PSG has fielded a high-caliber side. One must also show respect for their “reserves,” many of whom are international players. Furthermore, some players have earned their spots in the Champions League squad through their performances—competition is, after all, a reality. And against Troyes, the lineup was a very serious one.
The final score was only 1–0; that’s something that can happen to PSG, just as it can to any other major club. Players are only human, and they aren’t always performing at their absolute best—especially early in the season, when physical conditioning is still a work in progress. There were chances, too; the team simply lacked clinical finishing in front of goal. Finally, let’s not forget—since we claim to respect Ligue 1—that there is an opponent on the pitch. Troyes put in a strong performance, particularly defensively, and their goalkeeper was in excellent form. It’s a shame to overlook that when the stated goal is to advocate for respect toward French football.
