With heavy investment made by the Qatari owners for two consecutive summers, it is time for Paris Saint-Germain to compete for top honours
According to Salvatore Sirigu, the club's shot-stopper, it has become a must for the Parisians to deliver their first French title since 1994, after the club saw heavy financial backing from the Qatar-based owners. According to the Italian, the club must
deliver and become one of Europe’s top outfits.
The Nuoro-based Italian admits that the pressure is on them and believes that with the sort of ambitious project in the air, the pressure on the club is going to get worse every year. The former Palermo keeper believes that success in Europe is linked to
the top tier crown in France.
Upon being quizzed, the experienced 25-year-old held the defending champions Montpellier, and potentially threatening Lille, Marseille and Lyon as the frontrunners in contention for the Championelle .The latter two have a great chance in this race as they
don’t face the distraction of Champions League.
Although, Olivier Giroud, their top goal scorer last season, has left the folds of defending champions Montpellier, the club is still determined to defend its most-coveted title, which was earned in difficult circumstances.
The way Montpellier won the last three matches in the 2011/2012 campaign, when they had lost services of Younes Belhanda, the club’s main playmaker, speaks volumes about the fact that the club can still fight for honours despite losing their key men.
Though, Montpellier have lost their matches in the pre-season and also lost to Lyon on penalties in Trophee des Champions, Rene Girard, the club’s manager, is hopeful of showing a formidable display when the defending champions open their campaign at the
Stade de la Mosson.
The absence of Younes Belhanda, could well make a difference against the Toulouse side on Friday. It is pertinent to mention here that apart from PSG and Montpellier, all other French Ligue1 outfits have tasted defeats at the hands of the club in last three
seasons, thus promising a thriller as the campaign begins.
Although, Les Parisians goalkeeper holds the defending champions as fierce rivals to their title ambitions, the recent lack of form, culminating with the pending injury of start playmaker Younes Belhanda, and the uncertain destination of want-away defender
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, speak of the converse.
With the Paris giants, and the runners-up last season, signing a world-class striker in terms of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva as a defensive rock from AC Milan and a big-money capture of one of the most prized attacking midfielders in South America to
have made a mark, Lucas Moura, there seems no reason why Les Parisians can’t win the title and dig deep into the Champions League.
According to Rene Girard, “it is up to us to make things as hard for PSG, when you look at them on paper their possibilities are limitless. They are big favorites.”
With Lyon determined to show a fight too as the chairman envisions a Champions League spot for the club, and Marseille too working on to put an end to the woes of a disappointing 2011/2012 campaign, only French outfit Lille appears to be the best equipped
to challenge PSG for the title.
Even though, the club has lost wonder boy, Eden Hazard, to Chelsea, subsequent arrivals of Salomon Kalou and Marvin Martin are perfect recruitments at the centre to challenge the mighty runners-up of last season.
Unarguably, PSG are the title favorites, yet, the pressure looms large on them to deliver.
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