Paris Saint-Germain's latest Champions League elimination has reignited questions about the sustainability of their high-spending strategy, coming just months after a 6-1 first-leg collapse in Barcelona.
The Qatari-owned club, founded in 1970, has invested over 500 million euros in transfers since 2017, including record fees for Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, yet remains trapped in a cycle of early European exits. This year's defeat to Manchester United followed a pattern seen in 2014 and 2017, with key players injured and tactical decisions drawing criticism.
Coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the recurring challenges but dismissed comparisons to past failures, stating, "This is for me too easy and I don't want to step into this trap." However, sports daily L'Equipe ran a front-page headline declaring "Even worse" in reference to the Barcelona disaster, while commentator Vincent Duluc criticized the club's "celebrity" status built on repeated collapses.
Financially, PSG still profited 85 million euros from their European campaign this season, bolstered by a new 50 million euro annual shirt sponsorship deal with Accor. Yet the club faces pressure to make personnel changes, with president Nasser al-Khelaifi under scrutiny and sporting director Antero Henrique likely to be replaced.
Despite assurances from defender Marquinhos that the project remains on track, the latest exit has cast doubt on the long-term viability of the Qatari investment. With Neymar's injury-plagued tenure and Mbappe's inconsistent form, the club's European ambitions remain unfulfilled, leaving fans to wonder if the money can ever buy success at the highest level.
