Knives out to sacrifice PSG’s Blanc

Paris Saint-Germain's Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (hidden) celebrates scoring with his teammate during the first-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League football match Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Leverkusen, western Germany on February 18, 2014. AFP PHOTO / SASCHA SCHUERMANN

London

What a difference a week makes. Seven days ago, Paris Saint-Germain were riding the crest of a wave - 13 points clear at the top of the league and taking a two-goal cushion into the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

Seven days on, and two defeats later, PSG are suddenly being talked about as a club in crisis.

Out of the Champions League after a Jose Mourinho-masterminded 2-0 Chelsea victory and beaten again in the league, 1-0 away at Lyon on Sunday, the knives are being sharpened ready for the ritual sacrifice of coach Laurent Blanc.

Much is being made of the fact that Blanc’s one-year contract expires at the end of next season and the wealthy Qatari owners are said to be weighing their options on an extension.

All the more so as it is widely accepted that Blanc was not their first choice for the job in the first place, once Carlo Ancelotti had decided to throw in his lot with Real Madrid.

Massive reversal of fortune

Certainly, it would take a massive reversal of fortune for PSG to let slip their 10-point advantage in the league over the final five games of the season.

But the manner of the latest two setbacks has served to underline how vulnerable and average a side they look without the redoubtable presence of leading scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Goal-keeper Salvatore Sirgiu conceded: “He makes the difference. We’ve managed to replace him in the past, but this time it’s different, because our style of play is different with him in the side.

“However, we have to put our faith in the players who replace him because we’ve got some very good players in the squad.

“The truth is Zlatan is out at the moment and we have to do the best we possibly can without him.”

The Chelsea defeat was certainly hard to stomach for many of the players. “It’s difficult to pick yourself up after being eliminated like that,” said captain Thiago Silva.