There is no doubt that after paying Barcelona £200m for Brazilian superstar Neymar back in 2017, Paris Saint-Germain were setting their stall out to win the Champions League.
The club stance was certainly clear and Neymar echoed those thoughts after putting pen to paper on a fresh four-year deal back in 2021. Speaking at the time, he said: "Of course, my goal when I came to Paris Saint-Germain was to help get Paris Saint-Germain to the top, among the very best, and we are getting close.
“We are gaining more and more experience to help us negotiate these types of games, to know how to play in the Champions League. And Paris is on the right track, we are getting closer and closer to the taste of winning the Champions League. I'm sure we can do it.”
In the near-six years since his record breaking transfer, the closest that the French giants have gotten is one solitary final appearance back in 2020 as they were defeated by German giants Bayern Munich. They face an identical deficit on Wednesday night as Christophe Galtier’s men aim to reach the quarter-finals of the competition in Bavaria.
It was ironically former PSG winger Kingsley Coman that proved the difference between the two sides on each occasion. Neymar will certainly have been hoping that he was the one to have his name up in lights but he will miss out on the chance to do that once more with his season having been ended by a brutal ankle injury.
A PSG statement read: "Neymar Jr has sustained a number of instances of instability in his right ankle in recent years. Following his latest sprain on 20 February, the Paris Saint-Germain medical staff recommended a ligament repair operation to avoid a major risk of recurrence.
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"All the experts consulted have confirmed this necessity. The surgery will be performed in the next few days at the ASPETAR hospital in Doha. It will take 3 to 4 months before he can return to training with the team."
Whilst on the face of things Neymar’s absence is certainly a loss - the 31-year-old’s 18 goals and 17 assists this season vouching for that - it might be a blessing in disguise that he is out for their upcoming trip to Munich. Since returning from the World Cup in Qatar, the former Barcelona star’s goals have only been worth three points to PSG in the race for the Ligue 1 crown.
Before that, his strikes had directly contributed to the Parisiens adding a further nine points to their total, meaning Neymar’s decisive contributions are on the wane - something that they simply cannot afford against Bayern. His previous absences have also not come back to bite the side too severely, either.
As is customary, Neymar has missed eight games in all competitions this term through a combination of injuries, fitness issues and suspension. PSG have won seven of those, their only loss being the 3-1 defeat to Lens on New Year’s Day.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian has also courted controversy over recent months. The wideman was sent off for two quickfire yellow cards in a 2-1 win against Strasbourg, whilst the Brazilian was involved in a furious dressing room showdown with sporting advisor Luis Campos in the aftermath of a defeat to Monaco.
Manager Galtier was also forced to jump to his defence after Neymar was spotted in a Paris McDonalds following a late night poker session following their first-leg defeat to Bayern. That has led to apparent criticism coming from Neymar’s high-profile teammate Kylian Mbappe, the young Frenchman recently claiming the crown as PSG all-time top scorer.
He has since refuted that there are any problems with his Brazilian colleague but there is no doubt that the French side could do without any exterior distractions as they scramble to keep their European season alive.
There then comes the small matter of Neymar’s impact on Galteir’s tactical approach to his side. Neymar, Mbappe and his glittering teammate Lionel Messi clearly do not work as well as the hierarchy at the Parc des Princes will have desired. The trio - reluctant to contribute defensively - leave PSG vulnerable.
That is a huge reason why their expensively-assembled defence has not looked as convincing when they are all on the pitch. Galtier’s side looked far more settled during their 3-0 thumping of fierce rivals Marseille.
That is also a theme that has been noticed by former French international Christophe Dugarry, who believes that PSG will be better off without Neymar. Speaking with RMC, he said: “I’m glad for PSG that Neymar is injured. I believe it’s an amazing stroke of luck for Christophe Galtier. This team is way more balanced with a 5-man defence, three midfielders and a Messi/Mbappé duo.“
“I can’t bear to see him [Neymar],” the 1998 World Cup winner added. “I just can’t anymore. I find him insufferable in his dribbling, his behaviour. I don’t want to see him on a pitch any more.”
Against a Bayern Munich side that have already scored 66 goals in the Bundesliga so far this season, PSG will need as much defensive discipline as possible, something that will naturally come about with Neymar out of the side. Amid his injury, Neymar has already promised to "come back stronger” but it remains to be seen whether he gets the chance.
The Brazilian, now 31, sees his best days firmly behind him and despite still having two-and-a-half years left on his contract, continues to be linked with a move away from PSG. Todd Boehly’s free-spending Chelsea having been rumoured to be considering a bid and would be only one of a few clubs able to finance his eye-watering wages.
Whether they would still be interested given Neymar’s long-term injury remains to be seen. Getting the wideman off the books would arguably also strengthen PSG’s hand at keeping Mbappe at the Parc des Princes for the long term.
Ironically, that could also bolster their chances of winning the Champions League - something that they have lusted for since Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s arrival in the French capital. Neymar’s signing looked to have finally gotten them there but the Brazilian’s absence could yet be their best chances of finally securing the trophy, but there remains just the small hurdle of Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening first and foremost.
