Paris Saint-Germain concluded the season with a domestic double after defeating Lyon in Saturday's French Cup final. The club now faces the challenge of preparing for another Champions League campaign next year, this time without Kylian Mbappe.
The France captain ended his seven-year tenure at PSG with the 2-1 victory over Lyon. Despite not adding to his club-record 256 goals, Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz scored to secure the win.
PSG's victory came against a Lyon team that had been the best side in France during the second half of the season, having been at the bottom of the table in December.
PSG's ongoing dominance in French football highlights their overwhelming financial superiority compared to other clubs. According to the latest detailed accounts by the DNCG, the financial watchdog for French professional clubs, PSG's income in 2022/23 was nearly equivalent to that of the next five richest teams—Marseille, Lyon, Monaco, Rennes, and Lille—combined.
Their primary focus has been on winning the Champions League, a trophy that has eluded them despite having superstars like Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Coach Luis Enrique understands the significant challenge ahead as they aim to build a team capable of achieving the Champions League success that eluded them with Mbappe.
"He is obviously a different player, and we can't replace him with one single player. Forget it. There is no substitute for Kylian Mbappe," PSG's Spanish coach said after Saturday's final.
"We will need to replace him with the team as a whole, and perhaps with four, five, or six new signings."
'GREAT CHALLENGE'
Whether PSG will pursue a single high-profile star—such as Victor Osimhen or Rafael Leao—remains uncertain. They may want to avoid the strategies taken by Barcelona after losing Neymar in 2017 or by Tottenham Hotspur after selling Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.
Barcelona spent premium prices on several big names to replace Neymar, but most signings did not work out. Similarly, Spurs adopted a scattergun approach with multiple signings to offset the loss of Bale, but that strategy also had limited success.
"A great challenge for any player who might want to come here is that we want to make history," Luis Enrique stated. "This club will sooner or later win that long-desired Champions League title. It is difficult to win. It might take years, but they will win it in the future without any doubt."
The Qatar-owned club will prepare for next season with a tour of China, where they will face Monaco in the French season-opening Champions Trophy in early August.
The new Ligue 1 season starts on August 16, with the Champions League commencing in mid-September.
"This season is finishing, but the negotiations and possibilities to improve the squad are already beginning," said Luis Enrique. He will also rely on remaining stars such as Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Portuguese midfielder Vitinha, and teenage sensation Warren Zaire-Emery.
"It is an impressive project when you consider what this club is capable of achieving," added the coach, who is looking forward to a summer break at home, watching some of Euro 2024 on television "with a beer or two."
What of the rest of French football?
Lyon aim to build on their remarkable second half of the season under coach Pierre Sage, who is expected to sign a new contract.
Marseille are searching for a new coach after a disappointing season in which they failed to qualify for Europe, while Monaco and the surprise package Brest are gearing up for Champions League campaigns.
However, the overall health of Ligue 1 is uncertain, beyond the challenges posed by PSG's dominance.
Ligue 1 still lacks a broadcast deal for next season, with clubs continuing to struggle financially after the collapse of a record contract with the Spanish company Mediapro in 2020.
Reports suggest there is hope for a deal with beIN Sports—a network that, like PSG, is Qatari-controlled—but time is of the essence.