PSG 5 Spurs 3
PSG are going to peak in the knockout stages again. Whilst PSG won the treble last season many forget the start they had to the Champions League last year only winning 4 games from 8 with 3 losses in there leaving them 15th in the table overall by the end. When you look at the players PSG were missing in this game such as Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and Achraf Hakimi you get the feeling that when they’re back for the knockout stages, PSG are gonna be the team to beat again.
PSG still have the best midfield in Europe. Last season it was crystal clear that the midfield of Joao Neves, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz were the best in the world as a collective 3 and they showed that in every match they played in the Champions League last season. I think this match was a reminder of just how good these 3 are especially Vitinha coming away with a hat-trick with 2 absolutely outrageous goals from the edge of the box, Joao Neves also had an excellent performance setting up Fabian Ruiz’s goal with a lovely backheel. There’s no doubt that when those play in the midfield, PSG will dominate most matches.
Where do Spurs go from here? Spurs have now conceded 9 goals in their last 2 games conceding 5 in this match against PSG and 4 against Arsenal, of course Thomas Frank will be disappointed to lose this game but I think he will take positives from it as well. In particular Randal Kolo Muani’s performance will be pleasing for Frank as he’s been struggling so far to find form in a Spurs shirt but took both his goals excellently and set up Richarlison’s goal with a deft header across the box, Frank will hope he can kick on from here and start finding his form in a Spurs team that needs him right now.
Bergvall has to play in that Spurs midfield. A lot of Tottenham’s issues so far this season has stemmed from the midfield pivot of Palhina-Bentancur and whilst it’s not been a disaster in every game I think long-term Frank has to find a solution and get Lucas Bervall into this team more often, whilst by no means was he the best player on the pitch he adds something to this Tottenham midfield that no one else can, a bit of dynamism and forward thinking that the others can’t do, his backheel in the lead up to the first goal was pure magic and shows the skillset he can bring to a Spurs team that needs it so badly.
This Champions League format is brilliant. I know this new format in the Champions League has been polarising for many but for me I think it’s been brilliant so far over the last season and a half, the matches that we’ve seen this week especially have been of the highest level and we wouldn’t have got that in the past in the group stages. Almost every day in the Champions League there is a blockbuster game whereas in the past a lot of the groups would have been finished by now with nothing to really play for other than pride, teams don’t want them extra games come February in the play-off round leaving every game with higher stakes, this match was evidence of that and was thoroughly entertaining for those who tuned in.