Last season’s Champions League winner and Ligue 1 champion Paris Saint-Germain will host Atalanta in their opening group stage match this Wednesday.
As defending champions, PSG is currently facing an injury crisis, and whether they can start the campaign smoothly has drawn wide attention.
PSG Struggling with Injury Woes
In last season’s Champions League final, PSG crushed Serie A runners-up Inter Milan 5–0 to finally reach the pinnacle of Europe. However, despite starting the new Ligue 1 season with four straight wins to sit top of the table, the team has been hit hard by injuries.
Ballon d’Or nominee Ousmane Dembélé and young prospect Warren Zaïre-Emery both picked up injuries while playing for France. In last week’s 2–0 home victory over Lens, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lee Kang-in, and Lucas Beraldo all went down as well, leaving coach Luis Enrique facing major selection headaches.
Nevertheless, the Spanish coach insisted the growing injury list is not a crisis: “Every team goes through situations like this. For us, it’s a bit difficult now because we have some players injured. We have to wait for the medical results. But my squad can adapt and respond as a team.”
Barcola Shines as PSG’s New Hope in Attack
PSG’s French youngster, Bradley Barcola, has been in excellent form in Ligue 1. In the first four matches, he has scored three goals and provided one assist. In the most recent game, he netted a brace to secure PSG’s 2–0 win over Lens. In the future, he is expected to continue carrying the team’s attacking responsibilities.
Luis Enrique was clear, “We have only one goal, to win the title again.”
Atalanta Secure First Win but Face Squad Concerns
Atalanta earned their first victory of the season last weekend with a convincing 4–1 win over Lecce in Serie A. However, Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman was absent due to transfer issues and has yet to be named in the matchday squad, while fellow striker Gianluca Scamacca is still battling a knee injury and remains doubtful.
Inter Milan Facing Test Away at Ajax
Meanwhile, last season’s Champions League runners-up Inter Milan will travel to the Netherlands to face Ajax on Wednesday.
Inter’s start to the Serie A season has been far from ideal, with just one win and two losses from their first three matches. In the last round, they fell 3–4 in a thrilling clash against Juventus, raising concerns about their form.
New coach Chivu is still working to find the right tactical balance, but the limited summer signings have raised questions about squad depth.
Even so, Inter hold the psychological advantage, having beaten Ajax in their last three encounters. A victory away from home could prove vital in restoring confidence and stability.
As the Champions League group stage commences, PSG, Atalanta, and Inter Milan all face crucial early challenges. Whether PSG can overcome their injury problems, Atalanta can build on their winning momentum, and Inter can rediscover their rhythm away at Ajax will be the major talking points this week.
