The Paris Saint-Germain women’s team is diving straight into the action with an away match against Eintracht Frankfurt this Wednesday at 7 PM CET. Ahead of this Champions League play-off first leg (with the return leg on September 2), Paulo César has clearly stated his ambition to the press: to restore Paris to its rightful place on the European stage.
César: “We need to do better this season”
“We need to do better this season than last, and for me, ‘doing better’ specifically means in the Champions League. We shouldn’t be thinking about the group stage just yet, because we have two very important matches right now,” he said, as reported by RMC Sport.
This message perfectly captures the dual challenge facing the team at the start of the season. Paris Saint-Germain aims to align its European ambitions more closely with its status, but it must first clear a significant hurdle. Having finished third in the German league last season—behind Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg—Frankfurt possesses enough European experience to punish even the slightest lapse in concentration.
Last season left a sense of unfinished business for Paris, with a 17th-place finish out of 18 teams and only two points earned from six matches. The goal is now much higher: to reach the league phase and then finish among the top twelve teams to continue the journey.
César: “Doing everything to ensure that doesn’t happen”
“I don’t focus on the negative repercussions; that’s really a matter for the management. But I am certainly focused on doing a good job and doing everything I can to ensure that doesn’t happen.”
Elimination would no longer completely shut PSG out of Europe, as the Parisian side would drop down to the Europa League. However, both sporting and financial differences remain substantial. The Champions League offers far greater exposure, prestige, and prospects. For a club aiming to re-establish itself as a major European force in the long term, missing out on the premier competition as early as August would represent (yet another) serious setback.
Nevertheless, Paris can approach this fixture with a sense of continuity. The squad remains similar to last season’s, with Naomie Feller standing out as the key summer signing so far. The French forward, signed from Real Madrid on a contract running until 2030, offers Paulo César a new attacking option. Following a promising pre-season, PSG must now turn its ambitions into results.
