Champions League group stage recap: Paris survive scare to progress
Monday, February 12, 2024
Article summary
Paris drew a hugely nervy Matchday 6 encounter with Dortmund to secure their progression to the round of 16.
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Article body
Paris pipped Milan and Newcastle to second place in Group F to secure a 12th successive qualification for the round of 16 by the skin of their teeth.
Campaign so far
Group F runners-up: W2 D2 L2 F9 A8
Top scorer: Kylian Mbappé (3)
19/09: Paris 2-0 Dortmund: Mbappé 49(p), Hakimi 58
04/10: Newcastle 4-1 Paris: Almirón 17, Burn 39, Longstaff 50, Schär 90+1; Hernández 56
25/10: Paris 3-0 Milan: Mbappé 32, Kolo Muani 53, Lee 89
07/11: Milan 2-1 Paris: Rafael Leão 12, Giroud 50; Škriniar 9
28/11: Paris 1-1 Newcastle: Mbappé 90+8(p); Isak 24
13/12: Dortmund 1-1 Paris: Adeyemi 51; Zaïre-Emery 56
Campaign in ten words: Better late than never as Paris squeeze through at last.
UEFA.com reporter's view
Paris have secured a last-16 spot for the 12th season running, but that does not tell the full story. Accustomed to qualifying at a canter, this season's European campaign has been an arduous slog. In home wins against Dortmund and Milan, Luis Enrique's men were comfortable without truly convincing. A chastening 4-1 defeat at Newcastle sparked alarm bells, but Mbappé and friends kept their nerve to seal their passage on Matchday 6.
How do Paris play?
Since arriving at the Parc des Princes, Enrique has been keen to implement a system predicated on tactical flexibility. Nominally a 4-3-3, their approach soon moulds into a 3-4-3 when in possession. Lucas Hernández's positional nous on the left of their back four allows Achraf Hakimi the freedom to operate as an auxiliary midfielder. Another in-play switch sees Vitinha, who often occupies the berth on the left of the midfield three, move wide to allow dangerman Mbappé to roam into the central spaces.
Fantasy star performers
Warren Zaïre-Emery – 35 points
Milan Škriniar – 33 points
Achraf Hakimi – 30 points
Key stats
• Paris have scored in each of their last 49 Champions League group matches, stretching back to a 1-0 defeat away to Real Madrid in November 2015.
• Mbappé has already made the fourth-highest amount of Champions League appearances (58) in the club's history at the age of just 25.
• Paris attempted a total of 106 shots in the group stage. Only Real Madrid (123) and Manchester City (132) had more.
Squad changes
In: Lucas Beraldo
Out: none