For Le Parisien, Jimmy Algerino tempers the enthusiasm after PSG-OM: for him, the real test will come in the Champions League playoff against Monaco. He welcomes the return of competition, questions Hakimi, judges Doué to be “lagging behind,” and places Barcola “ahead.” Except that the match also tells a different story.
Algerino: “The good news is that competition will be back.”
“The players have their sights set on the period starting in February. The good news is that competition will be back, but we still need to see the real Hakimi return. And I still find Désiré Doué lagging behind. Barcola remains clumsy, but he’s making such a difference that he’s ahead.
To get really excited, I expect the same performance against a top team, if Paris gets past Monaco. That will be a very good sign.”
Yes, Monaco could serve as a crash test. But by constantly brandishing “the very best” as the sole barometer, we end up minimizing what PSG has just produced… and especially what it has corrected. The “real Hakimi”? Okay, but the analysis overlooks a simple point: the interim period was handled cleanly, and Zaïre-Emery accomplished the mission without making a fuss, which, at PSG, is almost a media feat.
Doué being “lagging behind“? In this match, he actually sent a clear message: when the team improves, he improves too, and that’s precisely what we expect from a player of his caliber. As for Barcola, the question is no longer “does he make a difference?” We know. The question is: how many chances does he convert in the matches that win titles?
PSG doesn’t need us to get carried away. He needs us to be consistent: if we demand details to achieve great things, then we must also recognize the details that make progress when they appear.
