The 2024-2025 season for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) promises to be full of challenges and ambitions. With Luis Enrique at the helm, the Parisians aim to maintain their dominance in France and finally achieve triumph in the Champions League. Last season, the team showed two faces: domestically, PSG monopolized all the trophies, winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Trophée des Champions. However, in Europe, their dream of capturing the coveted Champions League ended in the semifinals against Borussia Dortmund.
PSG will aim to confirm their domestic success from last year. In the national record books, they will seek to further distance themselves from Saint-Étienne, who have won 10 titles, compared to PSG's current 12. The Coupe de France and Trophée des Champions are also key targets for Luis Enrique’s team, alongside advancing as far as possible in the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
The Spanish coach strongly believes in the potential of his squad despite the departure of Kylian Mbappé, who transferred to Real Madrid. Victor Osimhen, leaving Napoli, could be the one to fill Mbappé's shoes. “Nothing changes in terms of overall prospects. Everything will remain the same. We must continue to compete and win titles, and I am convinced that, regardless of the players we have, we will be stronger next year.”
Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain keeps lead, responding to De Zerbi’s Marseille
14 Jan - 10:44 •
2' min
With 6 Ligue 1 titles, 2 Coupe de la Ligue, 4 Trophée des Champions, and 4 Coupe de France titles in his palmarès, Kylian Mbappé leaves PSG after 7 successful years, having scored 256 goals in 308 appearances. Despite his impressive numbers, there is regret that he could not lead PSG to a Champions League victory, a trophy that seemed within reach especially during the Covid-19 year, when they narrowly lost in the final to Bayern Munich, and last season, with a surprising semifinal exit against Dortmund.
Besides Mbappé, PSG bid farewell to free agents Kurzawa, Navas, Rico, and Letellier. Youngster Edouard Michut moved to Adana Demirspor in Turkey for free, while Eintracht Frankfurt purchased Ekitiké for €16.5 million. Incoming, the focus is on the attacking department, with Osimhen as a potential Mbappé replacement, and midfield reinforcement targeting Benfica’s young talent Joao Neves.
Negotiations for Victor Osimhen are progressing, linked also to Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, who is set to replace the Nigerian at Napoli. Napoli and Lukaku have reached a preliminary agreement for a three-year contract worth €6 million plus bonuses. The club now needs to negotiate with Chelsea, which is asking for €35 million plus bonuses, though Napoli aims to settle for a lower figure. This week could be decisive for Osimhen, with PSG eager to close the deal. The Nigerian, absent against Mantova, has strongly attracted PSG's interest.
PSG has scheduled preseason friendlies against Sturm Graz and Leipzig before kicking off the 2024-2025 Ligue 1 season. Their debut is set for August 18 against Le Havre, followed by matches against Montpellier, Lille, Brest, and Reims. The weekend of October 27, in the 9th round, features the highly anticipated clash against Olympique Marseille at the Velodrome, with the return fixture in the 26th round at Parc des Princes (weekend of March 16). Double fixtures against Monaco, PSG’s main recent rival, are set for the penultimate match of the first half and the third round of the second half of the season.
With Mbappé’s departure, who will be PSG's new leader? Certainly, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, considered one of the best in the world and Italy's standout player at the European Championship in Germany. Another leader will be captain Marquinhos, a stalwart of PSG's defense. In midfield, Vitinha will play a key role, while the task of leading the attack will fall to Kolo Muani, a compatriot and teammate of Mbappé in the French national team, along with Dembélé.
The 2024-2025 season is crucial for PSG, with Luis Enrique tasked with maintaining domestic supremacy and pushing the club towards the much-coveted European triumph. The team will have to cope with the absence of Mbappé, but with new additions like Osimhen and the leadership of key players like Donnarumma and Marquinhos, PSG has all the ingredients to continue competing at the highest levels. The road is long and the challenges are numerous, but PSG is determined to write new chapters in its history.
