In L’Equipe, Bixente Lizarazu, 56, former left-back for Bayern Munich and the French national team, tempered the enthusiasm surrounding Paris Saint-Germain after their 5-2 victory against Chelsea. Beyond PSG’s attacking efficiency, the pundit focused primarily on defensive lapses and the still-visible lack of collective control.
Lizarazu: “It wasn’t a party for the defenders, on either side!”
“Is this resounding victory (5-2) truly reassuring regarding PSG’s ability to bounce back in this competition?
This match certainly showed that the Parisians still possess enormous attacking power, but also glaring defensive weaknesses. It wasn’t a party for the defenders, on either side! There were far too many gifts.” Someone will have to explain to me why goalkeepers are being asked to take so many risks with their clearances, as the match hinged on that, since the 3-2 goal (Vitihna, 74th minute) came from a huge error by Filip Jörgensen.
There was also a major problem on Marquinhos’ side (more on the right), who was very often outpaced by Pedro Neto, as seen on the second goal (Enzo Fernandez, 57th minute). Luckily, Willian Pacho completely neutralized the opposing striker, Joao Pedro.
Lizarazu: “Fabian Ruiz’s prolonged absence is a real problem.”
Besides improving their defense, doesn’t PSG also need to regain more control in midfield?
The prolonged absence of Fabian Ruiz is a real problem, and it’s true that this season we haven’t recaptured the feeling of being a “steamroller” that PSG used to project, with a more solid and better-protected defense despite their very attacking full-backs, who still are. It was Achraf Hakimi, in fact, who provided the assist for Kvara’s fifth goal!
Lizarazu’s expression is that of a man who isn’t convinced by the scoreline alone. Yes, PSG reminded everyone that they can be devastating in attack, but the former defender refuses to ignore everything else. In his analysis, the Parisians gave too much away, were under too much pressure at times, and relied too heavily on errors from their opponents, starting with Filip Jörgensen’s mistake on the 3-2 goal. He also points to a troubled right flank, with Marquinhos often outpaced by Pedro Neto, while Willian Pacho, on the contrary, provided reassurance by containing João Pedro.
Implicitly, his message is clear: scoring five goals is impressive, but without more control in midfield or more security at the back, this PSG remains far from a truly reassuring team. It’s often difficult for PSG to satisfy these “experts.” While he’s partly right on some points, it’s also worth noting that any analysis must be fair.
Experts always say it, Lizarazu leading the charge: in the Champions League, you have to make fewer mistakes than your opponent, punish them at the right moment, and that’s exactly what PSG did. Before the match, they predicted hell for the Parisians, but this 5-2 victory wouldn’t be enough?
