Ligue 1: the psychological wear and tear of PSG players

This is the sports editorial of Virginie Phulpin.

We play tonight the last day of Ligue 1 before the break.

A first part of the season where we did not see a dominating PSG as we would have expected.

The Parisians, who host Strasbourg this evening, are not even the leaders in the standings.

For you, the players are doing a kind of burnout, there is a real psychological wear and tear. 

This is something that we do not often talk about, because we have the impression that athletes are immune to this kind of wear and tear.

On the contrary, I believe that it is an explanation of the half-hearted half-season of the Parisians.

If we look coldly at what they have been doing since September, it is not brilliant.

Already four defeats, the worst start since the arrival of the Qataris at the club.

No goals scored against Lille, Lyon and Marseille, the other title contenders.

A "ric rac" qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

All with a little slick game that attracts more yawns than enthusiasm.

So we can criticize the players and the coach of course.

But we can also understand their weariness.

It was Kylian Mbappé who said that he did not feel like he had started a new season, but to continue the previous one, as if it were endless.

Because they haven't stopped since the Final 8 of the Champions League in August.

While they would have needed to cut football.

Like you and me, if we spend all our weekends checking our professional emails, there comes a time when we can't do it anymore.

And it shows on the ground.

In addition, they cannot even recharge their batteries, regenerate themselves in contact with the public, since there is none.

Empty stands also have an impact on player morale.

This is valid for all teams obviously. 

And then this psychological wear also has repercussions on the body. 

I will take the example of Kylian Mbappé again.

We don't really know if he will be able to play against Strasbourg tonight, or how long he will be able to play.

He has pain which is difficult to explain.

But because he actually can't take it anymore.

There is a time when psychological wear and tear translates into physical injury.

The PSG infirmary is packed.

17 injured since the start of the season, it's maddening.

So there are bound to be problems with the physical preparation of the players, that's for sure.

But it is also the bodies that say stop because it is too much.

Too much football, too many matches.

In addition to the Covid protocol, the permanent tests, it's quite normal, but it still adds a bit of heaviness and it weighs on morale.

So it's true that we expected PSG at another level after its Champions League final.

I think the truce will do this team a lot of good.

Put the crampons at the foot of the tree, think of something else, and things will be better in 2021.