Last season, with Mbappé still pulling the strings, PSG clinched the Ligue 1 title with 76 points, scoring 86 goals in 34 matches. They allowed 32. This season, through 34 games, they’ve already surpassed that points total, finishing with 76 points, netting 79 goals while conceding just 33. The goal differential is slightly down from +54 to +46, but the defensive solidity remains. They still won the league comfortably, their twelfth overall, clinching it with three games to spare after Monaco stumbled against Lyon. That’s the kind of consistency even a post-Mbappé PSG can manage in France.
Thing is, the eye test tells a more compelling story than just those raw numbers. Last year, so many attacks flowed through Mbappé. He’d pick up the ball deep, dribble past two or three, and either score or lay it off. It was often thrilling, but also predictable. Opponents knew if they could stop him, they stood a chance. This season, the attack is far more fluid, more varied.
The biggest beneficiaries of Mbappé’s exit are Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola. These two on the wings have been absolutely electric. Dembélé, in particular, has found a new lease on life. Last season, he was often asked to serve Mbappé. Now, he’s the primary creator. He finished the Ligue 1 season with 8 assists and 3 goals in 25 appearances. Compare that to his final Barcelona season in 2022-23 where he had 7 assists and 5 goals in 25 La Liga games. The numbers are similar, but the *impact* feels greater. He’s taking on defenders, cutting in, and linking up. His partnership with Achraf Hakimi down the right flank has been a constant threat, often overloading the opposition.
Then there’s Barcola. What a revelation he’s been. The 21-year-old, snatched from Lyon last summer, has been thrown into the deep end and is swimming. He recorded 4 goals and 5 assists in 25 Ligue 1 appearances. His pace, directness, and willingness to run in behind stretch defenses horizontally and vertically. He’s not a finished product, far from it, but his fearlessness is exactly what this team needed. Remember that goal against Real Sociedad in the Champions League round of 16? Picking the ball up on the halfway line, driving past Hamari Traoré, and slotting it home with composure. That's a kid playing with confidence.
Behind them, Vitinha has stepped up massively in midfield. He’s dictating tempo, breaking lines with his passing, and even popping up with important goals. He finished the league campaign with 7 goals, a career-high for him. He’s become the engine room, allowing Warren Zaïre-Emery to continue his development without being overburdened, and giving Fabian Ruiz more freedom to push forward.
So, are they weaker or more balanced? That’s the million-dollar question. In terms of sheer individual star power, losing Mbappé, who scored 27 goals in 29 Ligue 1 games last season, makes them *objectively* weaker. You don't just replace a player who wins games almost single-handedly. But in terms of *team functionality* and tactical flexibility, they are undeniably more balanced.
Luis Enrique has instilled a clear identity: aggressive pressing, quick transitions, and constant movement off the ball. No longer does the attack grind to a halt waiting for one player to produce magic. The ball moves faster, players interchange positions more frequently. PSG’s average possession per game this season is around 65%, slightly up from last season’s 63%. They’re still dominant, but now with a clearer purpose in possession.
The squad depth feels better utilized too. Gonçalo Ramos, despite some struggles, bagged 11 goals in 29 league games. Randal Kolo Muani, bought for a hefty €90 million, has been underwhelming with just 6 league goals, but his work rate and ability to stretch defenses have been valuable. The attacking burden is now shared across 3-4 players instead of falling almost entirely on Mbappé.
The Ligue 1 title race, as usual, was less of a race and more of a procession for PSG. Monaco, their closest challengers, finished with 67 points, nine points adrift. Brest surprised everyone to finish third with 61 points. Nice and Lille rounded out the top five. The gap between PSG and the rest of the league, even without their talisman, remains significant. That’s more a reflection on the relative strength of Ligue 1 than anything else.
Here’s my hot take: PSG is actually *better equipped* to win the Champions League without Mbappé. I know, I know. It sounds crazy. But hear me out. For years, they’ve chased that elusive European crown, always falling short, often because they became too predictable, too reliant on a hero ball from Neymar or Mbappé. This season, they reached the semi-finals, losing to Borussia Dortmund. They looked more like a *team* in those knockout stages, even in defeat. The collective effort, the tactical discipline, the shared responsibility—these are the hallmarks of Champions League winners.
My bold prediction: PSG will win the Champions League within the next three seasons, precisely *because* they’ve shed the Mbappé dependency and built a more cohesive unit under Luis Enrique.