Sports
Kylian Mbappé (26)? Auf dem Weg zu einer titellosen Premieren-Saison bei Real Madrid. Lionel Messi (37)? Ende 2024 in der ersten Play-off-Runde der zweitklassigen MLS ausgeschieden. Neymar (33)? Nach seiner Rückkehr zu Jugendklub FC Santos mal wieder verletzt.
Während sich drei der weltweit größten Superstars der vergangenen Jahre alles andere als auf dem Höhepunkt ihrer Karriere befinden, ist ihr gemeinsamer Ex-Klub Paris Saint-Germain so stark wie lange nicht. Zufall? Eher nein.
Obwohl erstmals seit 2011 und dem Einstieg der katarischen Besitzer kein Superstar der Kragenweite Messi, Mbappé, Beckham oder Ibrahimovic im Kader ist, steht den Franzosen das Quadruple in Aussicht. Bereits Anfang April stand der Meister-Titel rechnerisch fest. Im Januar gewannen die Hauptstädter den Supercup, Ende Mai stehen sie im Pokalfinale. Und unter den Champions-League-Halbfinalisten zählen sie viele zu den Favoriten.
„Der neue Star von Paris Saint-Germain ist die Mannschaft, und ich bin sehr stolz darauf, wie wir die Philosophie unseres Vereins in so kurzer Zeit verändert haben“, erklärte Klub-Präsident Nasser al-Khelaifi (51) zuletzt in WELT am SONNTAG. Keine zwei Jahre ist es her, dass er Messi, Neymar und Mbappé gleichzeitig auf der Gehaltsliste hatte.
DEN müssen Sie hören!: 4-Jähriger Stadionsprecher geht viral
Der Schlüssel hinter dem neuen PSG ist Trainer Luis Enrique (54). Der Ex-Barcelona- und Spanien-Coach kam im Sommer 2023, verlangte damals Geduld – und bekam sie im Gegensatz zu vielen Vorgängern auch. Top-Zugänge wie Ex-Frankfurt-Verteidiger Willian Pacho (23), Mittelfeld-Mann João Neves (20/von Benfica) oder Georgien-Star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (24/von Neapel) werden nach seinen Vorstellungen verpflichtet.
Allen gemein ist die mannschaftsdienliche Spielweise, die Enrique von ihnen verlangt. Sonderstellungen oder Vorne-stehen-Bleiben wie bei Messi und Co. wird nicht mehr geduldet. Ergebnis: PSG spielt so rasant und attraktiv wie lange nicht – und ist gleichzeitig defensiv sattelfest.
„Wir haben mit Luis Enrique den besten Trainer der Welt“, schwärmt al-Khelaifi, der trotz nur eines Sieges aus den ersten fünf Spielen der neuen Champions-League-Ligaphase an ihm festhielt. Mit Erfolg. Im typischen 4-3-3-System von Enrique greifen immer mehr Rädchen ineinander.
Sogar PSG-Kritiker wie Johan Micoud (51/früher Bremen) schwärmt inzwischen: „Ich persönlich bin kein Fan, aber ich sehe mir sie wirklich gerne an.“ Enrique gibt das Lob gerne an seine Spieler weiter, sagte nach dem Halbfinal-Einzug: „Ich glaube, ich habe die beste Mannschaft der Welt.“
[–>Aus dem Kollektiv ragt dabei neben Italiens Europameister-Keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma (26) vor allem einer heraus: Ousmane Dembélé (27). Für den Ex-BVB-Angreifer hat Luis Enrique mit der Mittelstürmer-Position endlich die richtige Rolle gefunden. Resultat: Bereits im März erreichte er die 30-Tore-Marke. Den als Problemprofi verschrienen Dembélé erzog sich Luis Enrique, setzt ihn u. a. in der Hinrunde wegen Zuspätkommens auf die Bank.
Inzwischen ist der Linksfuß sogar als Führungsspieler gefragt – weil er zu den Oldies im Kader zählt. Unter den Offensiv-Stammspielern ist er mit 27 Jahren der älteste! Auch der andere Ex-BVB-Spieler, Rechtsverteidiger Achraf Hakimi (26), gehört schon zu den Alten. Sie sollen Teenie-Talente wie Linksaußen Désiré Doué (19/60 Mio. Euro Marktwert) anleiten.
Ob der Ohne-Superstar-Plan des Klubs wirklich jetzt schon aufgeht, zeigt erst das Champions-League-Halbfinale gegen Real-Madrid-Bezwinger Arsenal. Günstig war auch der neue Ansatz nicht: Seit Enriques Ankunft zahlte Paris knapp 700 Mio. Euro an Ablösen.
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