MARSEILLE, France (AP) - The pressure is sharply increasing on Paris Saint-Germain and its coach, Unai Emery, heading into Sunday’s showdown with French league leader Nice.
With Nice already four points ahead, a defeat would further weaken Emery’s position.
Key players are out of form, the defense is leaking goals, and Emery is struggling to impose his workmanlike methods after joining from Spanish side Sevilla.
A 3-0 loss away to Montpellier last weekend was followed by a dismal 2-2 home draw against Ludogorets in the Champions League on Tuesday night, with PSG coming from behind twice to salvage a draw against one of Europe’s least heralded sides.
Hardly the form expected of a side hoping to conquer Europe, having dominated French football for the past two seasons under former coach Laurent Blanc, who was fired in late June.
Nice also changed coaches in the summer, but for different reasons and with a hugely positive effect.
Swiss coach Lucien Favre replaced Claude Puel, who moved to Premier League club Southampton after finishing in a credible fourth place.
Nice’s defense is well balanced, while its slick midfield of Younes Belhanda, Jean Michael Seri and Wylan Cyprien oozes classy passing.
Favre has also relaunched the career of striker Mario Balotelli, following his two dismal seasons with Liverpool and AC Milan, and given talented young striker Alassane Plea the chance to shine.
The quick, skillful Plea has nine league goals so far, while Balotelli has six in six games.
The powerful Italian forward earned a reputation for his controversial behavior on and off the field, notably when he let off fireworks in his home when he played for Manchester City. But Balotelli has kept his head lately and a good performance against PSG would strengthen his comeback.
Favre has gained glowing reviews for adapting quickly to the French league after six seasons with German club Borussia Moenchengladbach.
By contrast, the media is coming down hard on Emery.
Following the Ludogorets match, in which PSG needed an injury-time equalizer to draw, sports daily L’Equipe’s headline of “Appalling” summed up the general view.
The manner in which PSG conceded goals against Ludogorets and Montpellier was alarming.
The Brazilian central defensive pairing of Olympic champion Marquinhos and former Brazil captain Thiago Silva is not working well, with Silva taking on too much responsibility compensating for very basic errors from Marquinhos in terms of marking and concentration.
Lynchpin midfielder Thiago Motta - one of PSG’s best players over the past three seasons - is making unusually sloppy mistakes. The 34-year-old Italy international looks increasingly leg weary.
PSG has already lost three league games this season, one more than last term.
Despite guiding the club to a second straight domestic treble and winning Ligue 1 by a staggering 31 points, Blanc was fired for failing to get beyond the quarterfinals of the Champions League once again.
Emery was chosen by the club’s cash-rich and ambitious Qatari owners because of his three straight Europa League titles with Sevilla.
The Spanish coach’s Sevilla side was based on intense fitness levels and speedy counterattacking, whereas Blanc favored a more technical, possession-based approach.
The transition is proving complex and the only PSG player standing out is Edinson Cavani, with 14 league goals and six in Europe.
But that is because Cavani is finally playing in his favored position following Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure, rather than Emery’s methods.
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