It was the Lille coach, René Girard, who dared to go against the grain. Or perhaps more accurately, to voice publicly what everyone is privately thinking. Paris Saint-Germain are almost out of sight in Ligue 1, their domestic dominance established courtesy of Qatari billions and a team inspired by a superstar the likes of whom French football has not lauded as one of their adopted own in generations. They have been virtually untouchable. And yet for all the giddy progress and glitzy profile enjoyed by the Parisians and their talisman, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, there is plenty France's leading nouveaux riches still have to prove.
On Wednesday, in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Chelsea will provide them with a proper test. "Michel Platini talks of PSG being champions here for 10 years, but we're only experiencing in France what it's been like in Spain, with Real Madrid and Barcelona, or in Germany for years," said Girard. "The real issue is the fact that, between the top 15 clubs in Europe and the others, there is still a chasm. Even PSG, who are miles clear in Ligue 1, are not at the top in Europe. Far from it. And look at Ibrahimovic. He aspires to win the Ballon d'Or. He is a king in France, but he has still to prove he can be a king of Europe."
via Chelsea | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1jIUHl5
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