How Paris Saint-Germain made the Champions League final and got better without Kylian Mbappe

It hasn’t always been a smooth ride but after defeating Arsenal 2-1 (3-1 on aggregate), Paris Saint-Germain is in the Champions League final, where they’ll face Inter on May 31 on Paramount+. But during the League Phase, this same PSG side barely snuck into the knockout playoffs, needing to win their final three matches of the phase in order to stay in. But the attack was able to gel, and they got a big-time addition in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during the January transfer window to put them over the top.

It was enough to see PSG steady themselves, and now they’re the final team remaining with a chance at a treble that includes a European continental title. 

It has been an impressive run by the Parsians but what have been some of the keys to that success this season?

Having faith in Luis Enrique

One thing that is critical for PSG is that they have a manager who has been there and done that in Luis Enrique. He not only won a treble with Barcelona as a manager but also had strong performances with the Spanish national team, which he led from 2018-2022 before resigning. It didn’t take long for PSG to tab Enrique to take the helm, and what he has done is quite impressive. He plays front-foot soccer that’s pleasing on the eye, like the Barcelona sides that he managed, but at times, this Paris Saint-Germain side is more fluid. The midfield of Joao Neves, Vitinha, and Fabian Ruiz can fill so many roles while also letting Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi go forward.

Enrique also has experience in preparing for big matches, so there isn’t a situation that he hasn’t been through before. That calmness shows in his team, where even if PSG go behind, they’re able to stick to their principles and get back into things even while changing the roster around.

Replacing Kylian Mbappe

Moving on from a star isn’t easy, and this season hasn’t been as smooth a ride as it may seem for PSG, as the loss of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid in the summer left quite a void in the attack … or so we thought. Lots of money was spent to bring in Willian Pacho, Desire Doue, Joao Neves, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but what’s notable is that in that list, there isn’t a recognized striker. It became more of a team-based attack before Ousmane Dembele went central as the number nine, and the rest has been history.

Alongside Doue, Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola, no player has scored more goals in 2025 than Dembele’s 25 in 26 appearances. What was supposed to be a team affair, replacing Mbappe, actually became Dembele stepping up to do it. Someone who has always had the talent but was held back by injuries and, at times, inconsistency, Dembele, along with many other members of this side, are finding their top form under the tutelage of Enrique.

Youthful exuberance

Looking back at those transfers, what’s notable is that none of them were over the age of 23 when they joined, with Kvaratskhelia having turned 24 since joining in January. They have experience at the highest levels of soccer already, but they also have the energy to run through a brick wall while also taking Enrique’s guidance to heart. At times, managing stars can be a tough thing to do because players have different ideals of what they want to do, and the individual can become bigger than the collective. That was especially seen when Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe formed a dysfunctional trident leading the attack for PSG.

None of that is present in this team under Enrique. It can be the 90th minute, and Kvaratskhelia is still tracking back to make defensive challenges. That doesn’t happen by accident. Under Enrique, PSG have developed an identity, and recruitment has been able to fill that. He’ll still need to lead this youthful side to the promised land, but as the youngest team ever to make a UCL final, history is already in the making.