Saturday, March 15, 2025

Can Luis Enrique’s Rampant PSG Win The Treble This Season?

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Luis Enrique has turned PSG into a dynamic force this season. The Parisians look well-balanced in all areas of the pitch and have the chance to win the European treble.

When Kylian Mbappe left the club for a free transfer to Real Madrid last summer, many thought PSG were diminished. The superstar forward’s absence has rarely been felt with other attackers, especially the exceptional Ousmane Dembele, stepping up.

Enrique’s side are currently unbeaten in Ligue 1, boasting 20 wins and five draws in their 25 games. They have 65 points on the board, 16 more than second-placed Olympique de Marseille. PSG have scored 70 goals and conceded only 24. Yet another league title looks almost secured, barring an unthinkable collapse.

PSG are also through to the Coup de France semi-finals, where they’ll play USL Dunkerque. It’s hard not to back Enrique’s high-flying side against the Ligue 2 opponents.

Domestic success hasn’t been an issue for the Parisians in recent years. However, they have failed to shine on the European stage. A UEFA Champions League runner-up medal in 2019-20 is their most notable achievement of late.

PSG looks like a side that could finally break the European drought. Their form in the new format of the group stage was hot and cold. PSG needed the playoffs to reach the Round of 16, where they faced Arne Slot’s mighty Liverpool.

After losing the first leg 1-0 at home, Dembele and co. launched a 1-0 comeback win at Anfield. They eventually sealed a quarter-final berth via a penalty shootout win against the Merseysiders.

PSG will play Aston Villa in the quarter-finals. Their attacking line looks threatening, as Dembele and Bradley Barcola have been in stellar form. In an exceptional season, Dembele has scored 29 goals and has six assists in 26 appearances. Barcola has 18 goals and 12 assists in 42 appearances.

PSG dominated possession and created more clear-cut chances in both legs against Liverpool. Unai Emery and Aston Villa need to put up a noteworthy effort to make the Parisians stumble.

In 12 Champions League games this season, Enrique’s team have scored 25 times, conceding 10. They have had an average possession of 60.34% per game (as per UEFA). PSG has maintained a passing accuracy of 89.5% and has kept five clean sheets.

IMAGO / Every Second Media

Alongside Dembele and Barcola, Vitinha, Desire Doue, Fabian Ruiz, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi, and more are performing well on all fronts of the pitch. PSG looks fine-tuned under a master tactician like Luis Enrique.

As always, domestic success looks inevitable this season as well. It might finally be the time for the Parisians to break their European drought. Enrique guided Barcelona to the European treble in 2014-15. He can join Pep Guardiola in an exclusive club of managers with a triumphant campaign with PSG this season.

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