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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Oisin Doherty

Richard Dunne and Damien Delaney say 'Highlight reel' PSG will struggle to win the Champions League

Richard Dunne and Damien Delaney believe ‘highlight reel’ PSG may not have enough defensively to win the Champions League.

The pair were commenting after PSG’s group-stage win over Juventus in Turin this evening. Goals from Kylian Mbappé and Nuno Mendes either side of a Leonardo Bonucci strike gave the Parisians the win.

Despite the victory, PSG only progressed to the knockout stage as an unseeded team after Benfica ran riot against Maccabi Haifa this evening. But even if PSG had topped the group, both Dunne and Delaney believe there are major question marks over their credentials.

READ MORE: WATCH: Jota stunner provides light for Celtic at end of Champions League campaign

“I think PSG are a team for moments,” said Dunne, “Going forward they’re great and a real threat. But as a package to go and win the Champions League you need more.

“You need to sacrifice yourself at times and I don’t see that within the group. When they lose the ball, they’re happy to get behind the ball but there is nobody to win it back. There’s no-one with that fight to go, win the ball, and make tackles.

“They still lack that.”

Despite these issues, Dunne stressed that tonight’s victory away from home to a side like Juventus is a good result for PSG. Delaney agreed that PSG’s attacking performance was excellent, but, like Dunne, doubts linger on their defensive ability.

“Attacking-wise they are incredible, but I don’t think that will get you to a Champions League,” said Delaney, “Over two legs against electric teams like Real Madrid, Man City, Liverpool in their pomp.

“They have everything covered. They can dig, control a game, counter-attack, they can do anything. Anything you throw at them they can deal with it.

“I just don’t think PSG have that. As a ‘highlight reel’ team they’re brilliant. It would require an incredible set of circumstances for them to win a Champions League.”

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