Ligue 1’s challenging early schedule is slowing Paris Saint-Germain’s title charge, but with rivals faltering, Luis Enrique’s side is poised to assert its dominance once again.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has been noticed to be deliberately structuring the early season schedule to prevent Paris Saint-Germain from running away with the title again.
According to an OLT Sports analysis, “it appears those in France are already bored of crowning the same champion year in and out,” leading to an unprecedented attempt to halt the European champions’ dominance.
The strategy, which has seen PSG struggle through “series of injuries,” involves scheduling the toughest games earlier. The report notes that five of Luis Enrique’s first eight fixtures were against teams that finished in the top 10 last season, a pattern suggesting “the timing of specific fixtures suggest the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) may have found a way to stop their dominance.”
This scheduling seems to be working. Nine games into the season, PSG has only managed 17 points from a possible 24—a “subpar return” for a side that secured the championship well before the final round last season.
The analysis highlights that: “with 17 points from their opening eight games, this is Paris Saint-Germain’s lowest point tally at this stage of a league season since 2016-17, when they ultimately lost the title to AS Monaco.”
Despite this slow start, the report suggests PSG’s rivals are failing to capitalize. While Olympique Marseille currently leads by one point, they have shown inconsistency, including an “unacceptable” loss to ten-man Rennes.
PSG, meanwhile, has found consistent joy in Europe, winning three of three Champions League games. With key players, including “Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembélé,” returning from injury, OLT Sports concludes the champions’ inevitable surge is only a matter of time: “PSG’s dominance coming; It’s inevitable.”
Luis Enrique now looks to capitalize on upcoming fixtures against teams like Brest and Lorient to reclaim the top spot.