£1 billion spent but PSG lack coveted trophy

It is said that money talks in modern football and, of course, it does.  But there are limits to the extent to which it buy success as the example of PSG shows.

It is now almost 11 years since Al-Khelaifi’s state-backed Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) acquired PSG and, despite spending in excess of £1 billion on incoming transfers, the Champions League trophy remains elusive. PSG have reached the final of the Champions League only once under Qatari ownership. 

It is worth remembering how, only six months ago, PSG came away from the summer market convinced the club had overseen the most spectacular and successful transfer window of all time.

Yet PSG’s seasons are, increasingly, predicated around performance at the business end of the Champions League. The club are 13 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and Pochettino is likely to win his first league title in 13 years as a head coach in Spain, England and now France. That, however, will do little to disguise the underwhelming nature of a campaign in which PSG have rarely captured the imagination of their supporters and have often stumbled their way to results.

In recent months, PSG’s ultras have criticised the management of the club and a perceived prioritisation of commercial performance over on-field success.

The disparity in salaries between different squad members also makes it difficult to forge a collective team spirit, although several agents close to other PSG first-teamers counter that players are sensible enough to understand that a superstar should be on superstar money.