Are Galactico-less PSG in danger of failing to make Champions League knock-outs?

Mbappe left PSG in the summer to join Real Madrid, marking the end of the era of the Galacticos.

The French side have long dominated their domestic league but even having an array of star-studded talent in their team did not bring success in Europe.

That in part was down to Messi, Neymar and Mbappe not always being available to play together and, when they were, it didn’t click as often as hoped.

The club are now hoping a change in identity will bring them the success in Europe that has eluded them.

That change has been to focus on youth and, in their season opener against Le Havre, they started three teenagers – Ibrahim Mbaye, 16, Warren Zaire-Emery, 18, and Yoram Zague, 18 – and only two players over 25.

In the league it is 22-year-old Bradley Barcola who has stepped up in Mbappe’s absence, with the forward having scored 10 goals in 12 games to sit top of the scoring charts.

He has yet to carry that form into the Champions League, however, with no goals in his four European appearances this term.

“There’s a lot of pressure on Barcola,” European football expert Mina Rzouki said.

“We always focus on all their stars. How important was it to have someone who can deliver under pressure those goals?

“Is it good they moved away from all that? It was necessary because of what happened in the dressing room but maybe they need a balance.”

Mbappe is undoubtedly a huge loss to PSG in terms of goals, having scored 256 of them in 308 appearances across all competitions in his six years at the club.

France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry said earlier this season that without Mbappe PSG have lost a bit of “magic” but they now have more stability.

“I think they are a team,” Henry told CBS Sports Golazo. “They are a bit more stable – less counters. But they still lost Mbappe.

“It’s very difficult. For example in a game like that [the 1-1 draw with PSV last month], Kylian can turn it into a 2-1 or a winning goal towards the end – a moment of magic. He can turn it around.

“You lost a bit of magic but the team looks a bit more sound in terms of balance.”