Paris Saint-Germain wound up winning the domestic treble, but, due to their lack of progress beyond the first knockout round of the Champions League, it has been deemed a disappointing campaign for the capital side. Indeed, Unai Emery will be jettisoned at the end of the season to be replaced by Thomas Tuchel.
Although the campaign started with PSG the clear favourites to regain the title, they made two audacious August signings by snapping up Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to bolster their offensive line. Predictably, they were much too hot for any of their Ligue 1 rivals to handle.
The first half of the season could barely have passed off more smoothly in terms of their progress, both in Europe and in the league. They steamrollered across allcomers, often winning by large margins in the process. Notably, Bordeaux were beaten 6-2 in the league, while they recorded two huge victories over Celtic in the Champions League.
Neymar’s relationship with his team-mates, and in particular Edinson Cavani, did come into the spotlight, but it had no impact on performances. The Brazilian’s future remains the subject of speculation, but it seems unlikely that they will allow him to part, unless there is a gigantic bid made for his services that would leave them in huge profit.
It took until December for PSG to lose and, when that happened, the consequences were not significant.
However, successive defeats to Real Madrid in the Champions League in the spring, when they were capable of winning the tie, sent the campaign into a tailspin. Once out of Europe, they rarely showed their best form, though a season-ending foot injury to Neymar did not help in that regard.
Indeed, they finished the season somewhat sluggishly, if anything, with draws against Guingamp and Amiens, not to mention a first home defeat in a couple of years against Rennes.
Significant changes will be made over the summer, both in terms of playing and backroom staff.
