PSG, of course, spent big to try and fill the void. Randal Kolo Muani, already there, was now *the* striker, not just *a* striker. They brought in Rafael Leão from AC Milan for a reported €120 million and Victor Osimhen from Napoli for a similar fee. Imagine that attack: Leão on the left, Ousmane Dembélé still tearing it up on the right, and either Kolo Muani or Osimhen through the middle. On paper, it's terrifying. In reality, it took time to click. They dropped points early, drawing 1-1 with Rennes at home in September and losing 2-0 to Lyon in October. Luis Enrique, ever the tinkerer, rotated his forwards constantly, searching for the right combination.
Here’s the thing: you don’t replace Mbappé. He scored 27 goals in 29 league appearances in his final Ligue 1 season, a ridiculous output. PSG's attack, while still potent, became more democratic. Dembélé, in particular, flourished. He’d always been a creator, but without Mbappé dictating so much, Dembélé took on more shooting responsibilities. By Christmas, he had 8 goals and 10 assists in 17 league games. His final ball still drives you nuts sometimes, but his directness and dribbling were more vital than ever. Bradley Barcola, too, saw his minutes jump. The kid has ice in his veins. He scored a key equalizer against Marseille in Le Classique in November, a beautiful curling effort from outside the box. Barcola finished the first half of the season with 6 goals and 4 assists, showing he’s ready to be a consistent starter.
Without Mbappé dominating headlines and stat sheets, Ligue 1 became, dare I say, more interesting. Or at least, more open. Nice, under Francesco Farioli, played some scintillating football. Terem Moffi, who they signed permanently in 2024, was banging them in for fun, hitting 14 goals by February. Lille, too, looked dangerous, with Jonathan David still leading the line and new signing Edon Zhegrova providing plenty of flair on the wing. They beat PSG 2-1 at home in January, a result that sent shockwaves through the league.
My hot take? PSG needed this. They became too reliant on one player, too predictable. For years, the plan was often "give it to Kylian and let him cook." Now, they have to figure out different ways to win. It forces tactical evolution, forces other players to step up. Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, Marquinhos and Milan Škriniar at center-back, Vitinha and Warren Zaïre-Emery in midfield – the spine is still elite. But the attack had to redefine itself. Leão, for all his brilliance, isn't a pure goalscorer in the Mbappé mold. He’s more about creating chaos and delivering precise passes. Osimhen, when healthy, provides that direct, clinical finishing, but he missed a month in October with a hamstring issue.
The biggest beneficiary of this "power vacuum" wasn't a single player, but the league's competitive balance. Monaco, led by Wissam Ben Yedder’s timeless goalscoring (10 goals in 20 matches for the 35-year-old), were right in the title hunt. Lens, with their incredible home support and a tireless midfield, were also consistently in the top four, just a few points off the pace. The gap between PSG and the chasing pack, which had felt like an abyss for years, shrunk. PSG still led the league by six points heading into April, but it wasn't the 10 or 12-point cushion we'd grown accustomed to.
Look, it’s not like Ligue 1 suddenly became the Premier League in terms of depth. PSG still have far superior resources. But the narrative shifted. Instead of "Can anyone stop Mbappé?", it became "Which version of PSG will show up today?" And that’s a more compelling question. Lyon, after a couple of shaky seasons, started to find their rhythm. Alexandre Lacazette, despite his age, was still a reliable scorer, netting 9 goals by March. They even brought in Julian Álvarez on loan from Manchester City in January, a move that immediately injected some much-needed quality into their attack.
Real talk: the 2025-26 season without Mbappé is a breath of fresh air. It’s a chance for other talents to shine, a chance for tactical battles to matter more than individual brilliance. It’s a chance for the league to shed the "one-man show" label it carried for too long. You saw it in the attendance figures for non-PSG matches, which saw a slight bump. You felt it in the media coverage, which diversified beyond just Mbappé watch.
PSG will still win the title. They have too much quality not to. But it won't be a cakewalk. They'll drop more points, face tougher tests, and the final standings will be tighter than in previous years. My bold prediction? Lille will finish second, surprising many, and PSG will win the title by a mere four points, their narrowest margin since 2017.