PSG Begin Ligue 1 Title Defence Weeks After Champions League, Super Cup Triumphs

Paris Saint-Germain enter the new Ligue 1 season with history on their shoulders and fatigue in their legs, kicking off the campaign just weeks after lifting both the Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup. dirtyq96 angie It is only the second time the French top flight has hosted the reigning European champions, following Marseille’s 1993 triumph. PSG’s dramatic Super Cup win over Tottenham on Wednesday coming back from two goals down to win on penalties was even more impressive given the squad had just a week of pre-season training and played no friendlies. Their truncated summer followed an exhausting 65-game campaign, ending with a Club World Cup final loss to Chelsea on July 13. While the Champions League victory fulfilled a long-held dream for the club, coach Luis Enrique admitted that maintaining such success is now the priority. “We want to make history by winning consecutive Champions Leagues. That is the dream,” he said, suggesting domestic dominance is secondary to European glory. Still, PSG are strong favourites for a 12th league title in 14 seasons, bolstered by the arrivals of goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille and Ukrainian defender Illia Zabarnyi from Bournemouth. Meanwhile, French football faces broader instability, with Ligue 1 still struggling to secure a lucrative broadcast deal. After scrapping a cut-price agreement with DAZN, the league has launched its own streaming platform a risky but potentially transformative move. For now, however, most clubs face the challenge of competing without guaranteed TV revenue, making PSG’s financial and sporting edge even more pronounced.