The Champions League by its most difficult side: the Paris SG, weighed down by past disillusions and deprived of its stars Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, starts Wednesday at 9 pm, Paris time, his quest for the Grail against a giant of Europe. Real Madrid, led by the French Zinedine Zidane, tries to regain its superb after a 2017-18 exercise very disappointing.

The last time "Zizou" had crossed the lawn of the Parc des Princes, it was in March 2018, during a victorious 8th final that eliminated PSG (3-1, 2-1) and launched his team towards a third in a row in C1. Back 18 months later, he found that the European quest of Parisians had not really advanced.

In a year and a half, and despite the millions of euros invested, the double champion of France in title has not progressed on the biggest stage. Madrid's nightmare followed the humiliation of Manchester United last spring which ended up sticking to him the label of very wealthy "loser".

It is therefore the head down that the PSG starts this new European campaign. After a restless summer - including Neymar's initial hint of departure - finally staying at the dock - the sporting director Leonardo has made a change of attitude.

"It will not be the bling-bling season, we're going to win the Champions League, no, it will not be like that," he said on August 31. "We will seek to reorganize, to review things.The ambitions are not revised downward, we are obliged to have ambitions at PSG.I say only that we have things to settle.

No "MCN" for PSG

The modesty displayed by the Brazilian leader may seem out of step with the great ambitions of the Qatari owner with unlimited means, who dreams of conquering Europe. But she falls for this meeting face Real, because Paris will have to leave his jewels in the safe.

Neymar, four days after a night marked by the hootings of Paris supporters against him, but also a magnificent goal against Strasbourg (1-0), will have to watch the first of his two games of suspension, while the attackers Kylian Mbappé and Edinson Cavani, injured, have forfeited.

Without his formidable "MCN", coach Thomas Tuchel faces a big headache for his attack: who Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting or Mauro Icardi can hold the house in the axis? The Cameroonian, usual lining, has started his season (3 goals in L1) but has never played a game of this level with PSG, while the Argentine rookie is out of pace.

More broadly, it's all the Parisian game that is to rethink, after a new performance not reassuring Saturday. At the start of a decisive week that will end in Lyon, Sunday, the German technician must quickly find ideas, at risk of being threatened again to his post.

Real, a giant in full revolution

A defeat on Wednesday would also make him move, during the next day, under very high pressure in Galatasaray, armed to play the spoilsports in this group A that completes Bruges. Conversely, a victory would throw the PSG on the road to the first place and eventually to a more affordable opponent in eighths.

Today, all that seems far away, as far as the "Decimocuarta", a 14th C1, that Zidane hopes to offer to the club after having come back in savior in March to rebuild a Real at the end of the cycle.

But his "French Revolution", as the press called it, comes up against a cascade of wounded and suspended that limits his choices. Between Luka Modric, Marco Asensio, Isco, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos and Nacho, the "White House" will pass its first real test of solidity without several of its pillars.

Forwards Eden Hazard, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, however, keep a constant threat to the goal of their former teammate Keylor Navas, now installed in the Paris cage. A last defense that will have, in the absence of Paris offensive leaders, the heavy burden of preserving the club of yet another European disillusionment.

With AFP