Crunching the Numbers

After years of coming up short in the UEFA Champions League and suffering some of the most painful defeats the game has ever seen, Paris Saint-Germain finally delivered on the big stage to reach the semi-finals.On this episode of PSG Talking, I recap PSG's come-from-behind win over FC Barcelona. From Luis Enrique's starting lineup, to a controversial referee decision, to Kylian Mbappé's performance, I cover all the major incidents over the 90 minutes.I begin with PSG's starting lineup, which featured an all-French front three of Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Bradley Barcola. After the first match where fitness issues and suspensions for Luis Enrique to adjust his lineup, the manager bounced back and played the ideal starting XI.Next, I address Ronald Araújo's red card after taking down Barcola as he sprinted toward Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Did the referee make the right decision, or does Xavi and Barcelona supporters have a fair argument?After the sending-off, Dembélé took advantage and converted a Barcola cross for his second goal of the tie. I talk about his performance and how important his goal before halftime was for Les Parisiens.In the second half, PSG continued the offensive onslaught, and Vitinha eventually got on the scoresheet with a blast from distance. I discuss his performance and why you could make the argument that behind Mbappé, he's been PSG's most important player this season.With the tie level on aggregate, it was time for Mbappé to take over and get PSG across the finish line. I talk about his two goals to put PSG comfortably in the lead. Could the Frenchman be thinking twice about leaving for Real Madrid?After the final whistle, PSG celebrated in front of the traveling supporters. I discuss how proud I am of the team's performance and look ahead to the semi-final tie against Borussia Dortmund.As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.

Paris Saint-Germain faces an uphill battle in their tie against FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, but there is hope for Les Parisiens to pull off a la Remontada of their own in the rematch.On this episode of PSG Talking, I'm joined once again by Dan Hilton of The Barcelona Podcast to recap the 3-2 defeat to Barcelona and look ahead to next week's second leg. PSG supporter, Drew, also joins the show to give his thoughts on the tie and both give us a prediction of who they think will advance to the semi-final.First, Dan shares his thoughts on how well Barcelona played and how tactically they kept Kylian Mbappé from doing any damage over 90 minutes. We also discuss how Barcelona managed to limit their mistakes and take advantage of PSG's questionable starting lineup. We also preview the return leg, and Dan shares his level of concern going against what should be an improved PSG with Achraf Hakimi returning to the starting lineup.Next, Drew comes on the show to also recap the defeat at the Parc des Princes. We discuss how Gianluigi Donnarumma's abysmal performance, Ousmane Dembélé's goal celebration, and the positives that came out of the defeat. We also look at the season as a whole and whether it's been a success for PSG should they bow out of the Champions League next week.As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.

One of the best European rivalries will be renewed on Wednesday at the Parc des Princes when Paris Saint-Germain host FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.On this episode of PSG Talking, I preview the first leg of PSG's clash against Barcelona with the help of Dan Hilton from The Barcelona Podcast and Jonathan Johnson from CBS Sports. We discuss every angle of the highly-anticipated rematch from 2021 and Johnson also updates us on the latest transfer news involving PSG.Up first is my interview with Dan and we begin with Barcelona's finances and whether their fans expected the club to reach this stage of the Champions League. We then pivot to Barcelona's recent results, form, and key injuries.We know Kylian Mbappé will be a major focal point for Xavi, Barcelona's manager, and I ask Dan how he thinks the Catalan club will slow down the French superstar and whether he is looking forward to facing him next season when Mbappé likely makes the move to Real Madrid.I wrap up the interview with Dan by asking him about Xavi Simons, who began his career in the Barcelona academy before making the move to PSG, and his prediction for the first leg of the tie.Next is my interview with Jonathan Johnson and I begin with the PSG and Barcelona rivalry and where it ranks among matchups that occur in the Champions League. I also ask JJ about the one Barcelona player that PSG must shut down to be successful and who for PSG, besides Mbappé, needs to have a standout performance.Johnson gives us his prediction for the match before switching to transfer talk. I asked about Jules Koundé's future and whether PSG could sign the Barcelona defender this summer. I also ask Johnson whether Arsenal FC was a realistic landing spot for Xavi Simons, the latest on Leny Yoro, and an under-the-radar Ligue 1 player that PSG should target this summer.The interview with Johnson concludes with his thoughts on Real Madrid's stance on not allowing Mbappé to play in the Summer Olympics with France and the impact that may have on the relationship between the two sides.As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.

Ligue 1 returned from the international break with the marquee fixture of the season, Paris Saint-Germain at Olympique de Marseille, and as usual, there were plenty of fireworks.On this episode of PSG Talking, I'm joined by Ethan from PSG Fan Club Boise and long-time contributor Marc Damon to discuss PSG's 2-0 win over Marseille at the Orange Vélodrome. We also look ahead to Wednesday's clash against Stade Rennais in the Coupe de France and discuss the lead-up to the match against FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.We begin with Luis Enrique's starting lineup. Considering the injuries, did PSG play its best starting lineup possible? We also discuss Ousmane Dembélé's role as a false nine.Late in the first half, Lucas Beraldo was sent off with a straight red after VAR took a closer look at his challenge on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. We discuss the incident and the referee who made the questionable decision.To start the second half, Luis Enrique took off Randal Kolo Muani and whether the Frenchman has a long-term future at PSG.Vitinha opened up the scoring in the 53rd minute with a brilliant run and a perfectly placed shot. Vitinha has consistently shown up when PSG needs him most throughout the season, and it was no different against Marseille. We highlight his performance and what he's meant for PSG this season.In the 65th minute, there was more controversy as Kylian Mbappé was subbed off along with Dembélé. Both players left the pitch and went to the dressing room, but Mbappé, in particular, didn't look pleased with the decision. We discuss why Luis Enrique took off Mbappé and what it could mean for the rest of the season.We wrap up Le Classique by discussing Gonçalo Ramos' goal, whether he'll stay at PSG beyond this season, and Gianluigi Donnarumma's incredible performance, in which he made 10 saves.The show concludes with us previewing the match against Rennes this week in the semi-final of the Coupe de France and whether PSG is in a better position, having two more games to play than Barcelona before the two meet at the Parc des Princes on April 10.As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.

The players are away on international duty, so that gives us plenty of time to overanalyze the latest Paris Saint-Germain news making headlines.On this episode of PSG Talking, I break down the latest news, including a significant injury to one of PSG's best-attacking players, comments from Kylian Mbappé about his future, and a transfer boost to one of the best young center-backs in Europe.Jonathan Johnson from CBS Sports also joins the show to discuss his thoughts on PSG's quarter-final tie against FC Barcelona in the Champions League and some of the latest transfer news.I start with the unfortunate injury news of Bradley Barcola, who went down with a hamstring injury while representing France U23 in a friendly against the Ivory Coast. It's estimated the young Frenchman could be sidelined for 10 days and could potentially miss the clash against Barcelona. I discuss who could replace him in the starting lineup over the next couple of weeks.Next, I discuss Mbappé's comments about his future, where he essentially said there is no news and nothing to announce. With his ongoing tug-of-war with Real Madrid regarding his desire to play in the Olympics in Paris this summer and the club's stance that they will not release him, could this open the door for PSG to try and convince him to stay?Leny Yoro is one of the most highly sought-after talents in Europe, but with Real Madrid continuing negotiations with Mbappé and FC Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies, PSG may be in the lead to sign the Lille OSC defender. I talk about PSG's need for a defender like Yoro and why he needs to be the first signing of the summer.I wrap up my portion of the podcast with a preview of PSG's upcoming fixture against Olympique de Marseille. I discuss the importance of a solid performance in front of a hostile crowd and how that will benefit PSG as they prepare to travel to the Camp Nou later this season with a chance to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League on the line.The show concludes with Jonathan Johnson sharing his thoughts on potential PSG transfer targets, Luis Díaz and Johan Bakayoko. He also gives his opinion if would be a mistake to allow Gonçalo Ramos to leave the club and if Achraf Hakimi may also leave to Real Madrid. He also gives his thoughts on the tie against Barcelona and if Ousmane Dembélé will play with a chip on his shoulder against his former club.As...

After years of receiving the most difficult of draws in the UEFA Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain finally received a bit of luck. Now, what was once thought to be a rebuilding season has suddenly turned into one with massive expectations.On this episode of PSG Talking, I'm joined by Ethan from PSG Fan Club Boise to react to the draw of the Champions League quarter-finals, where Les Parisiens will face off against FC Barcelona.We start the show by sharing our initial reaction to PSG drawing Barcelona and we reference the recent history between the two sides that has led to some bad blood.Next, we take a step back and look at the quarter-final matchups as a whole. With Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal FC, and Bayern Munich FC all on one side of the bracket, should PSG supporters adjust their expectations for this season?When PSG and Barcelona walk out on the pitch together, it will be an emotional moment for Ousmane Dembélé and Luis Enrique who have ties to the Catalan club. Kylian Mbappé will also be taking on his soon-to-be rivals as he's expected to join Real Madrid next season. With that in mind, we share our top storylines that will dominate headlines leading up to the first match on April 10, at the Parc des Princes.The show concludes with a discussion about the biggest concerns for PSG, including Achraf Hakimi's suspension in the first leg, and we finish the sentence, "PSG will advance past Barcelona if..."As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.

Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a comfortable win in the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League, which is not something we get to say too often around here.On this episode of PSG Talking, I break down PSG's 2-1 win over Real Sociedad earlier this week, look ahead to the match against Stade de Reims, and welcome Jonathan Johnson from CBS Sports to discuss the latest news and rumors surrounding PSG.Up first, I talk about PSG's professional performance against Real Sociedad where Kylian Mbappé showed why he's the best player in the world. His two goals propelled PSG to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but he had help from Lucas Beraldo, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, and Ousmane Dembélé. Luis Enrique got it all right in this pivotal match, and despite losing Achraf Hakimi for the first match of the next round, it was as good of a performance as we've seen in recent years.Next, I look ahead to Sunday's clash against Will Still and Stade de Reims at the Parc des Princes. PSG defeated them earlier in the season, but with Luis Enrique likely to rotate his squad and limit the minutes of Mbappé, some wonder if PSG can continue its unbeaten run in all competitions that dates back to early last November.The show concludes with an interview with Jonathan Johnson, where I ask him whether PSG can compete with Real Madrid for the signature of Lille OSC defender Leny Yoro. I also asked him about Dembélé's fitness at PSG compared to his time at FC Barcelona. Other topics we cover include Mbappé's potential impact on Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid's squad, whether Luis Enrique might return to Barcelona, and so much more.As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.

Kylian Mbappé may have made his mind up to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer, but that doesn't mean he's done creating drama and that's just what he did against AS Monaco at the Stade Louis II.On this episode of PSG Talking, I'm joined by Jon Olangi, a long-time PSG Talk contributor who made his triumphant return to the podcast. We talk about PSG's scoreless draw against Monaco, Mbappé's controversial actions at halftime, look ahead to the match against Real Sociedad, and some interesting news coming out of Denmark about Fabrizio Romano.Up first, we talk about the draw against Monaco where if not for the acrobatics of Gianluigi Donnarumma, PSG could have easily lost this away match. The first half was full of sloppy play from Les Parisiens, but there were a few standouts, including Lucas Beraldo, Vitinha, and Nordi Mukiele. We break it all down and even decide which Monaco standout we would like PSG to sign this summer.Mbappe was one of the players who had a poor performance in the first half and was subbed off at halftime. Instead of watching the match from the bench, the Frenchman came out in a hoodie and sweatpants and watched the action from the stands with his mom. We react to the drama that unfolded and whether PSG will suspend the superstar for future matches.Next, we look ahead to next week's clash against Real Sociedad in the UEFA Champions League. How will Luis Enrique set up his team, and what will be the mindset for PSG as they cling to a two-goal lead? We give our score prediction for the big match.Finally, we give our thoughts on the news that transfer guru Fabrizio Romano allegedly receives payment in exchange for sharing rumors about players on social media. Can football journalism ever truly be fixed?As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.

This past week, Paris Saint-Germain received news that they have been waiting months for and that is Nuno Mendes has been officially removed from the medical report. Oh, and we received an update on the Kylian Mbappé saga.On this episode of PSG Talking, I'm joined by Ethan from PSG Fan Club Boise to discuss a hectic week in which we learned that Mbappé will reportedly leave the club this summer. We also break down two positive results for PSG against Real Sociedad and FC Nantes.Starting chronologically, we begin with the timing of Mbappé's communication with PSG that he will not return to the club once his contract expires. According to reports, Mbappé informed the club a day before PSG hosted Real Sociedad in the UEFA Champions League. Did the club force him to make a decision before the knockout stage, or did Mbappé want to do PSG a favor by letting them know as early as possible so they can begin planning for his departure?Next, we dive into PSG's 2-0 win over Real Sociedad at the Parc des Princes. It was a tale of two halves where PSG looked slow and unable to keep possession in the first half but came out in the second and scored twice to take hold of the tie. We break down Mbappé's performance and Bradley Barcola's goal and look ahead to the return leg and what PSG's strategy should be.Less than 24 hours after the win, Fabrizio Romano and several other top journalists reported that Mbappé will leave the club this summer as a free agent. We discuss who may have leaked that information to the media, the challenges Mbappé will face at Real Madrid, and who PSG may sign this summer to strengthen the squad.The show concludes with a discussion about PSG's 2-0 win over Nantes, including Luis Enrique's decision to bench Mbappé to start the match.As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.

It would have been easy for Paris Saint-Germain to put forth a lackluster effort against Lille OSC on Saturday, with the UEFA Champions League knockout stage kicking off next week. Instead, Luis Enrique's squad showed resilience and is now full of confidence for the upcoming match against Real Sociedad.On this episode of PSG Talking, I'm joined by Ligue1.com and PSGTalk.com writer Eddie Razo and Ethan from PSG Fan Club Boise. We discuss the come-from-behind win over Lille, preview the match against Real Sociedad, discuss Kylian Mbappé's future, and so much more.Up first, we share what we liked and didn't like from PSG's 3-1 win over Lille at the Parc des Princes with Mbappé left on the bench to rest his injured ankle. The visitors struck first thanks to some shaky defending from Les Parisiens, but Gonçalo Ramos answered with a goal of his own just four minutes later in the first half. PSG went into the half up a goal thanks to an own-goal from Alexsandro and tacked on one late in the second half when Randal Kolo Muani capped off a brilliant run from Bradley Barcola. We highlight Ousmane Dembélé's emergence and Manuel Ugarte's return to form.We then transition to the match on February 14, against Real Sociedad in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. We discuss the ideal starting lineup and rate our confidence level in the squad currently. We also give our prediction for the first leg of the tie.Moving off the pitch, we break down the media's coverage of the ongoing Mbappé saga. It was recently reported that he has agreed to join Real Madrid in the summer, but it's never been clearer why the Paris native should stay in the French capital. We discuss the mixed messages from the media and when Mbappé may announce his decision.We wrap up the show with a discussion about the Parc des Princes, which may not be the home of PSG in the near future, and the news that blue cards could soon be part of the game we all love.As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. We’re also on Substack! Subscribe for free today to access premium PSG content.