beIN SPORTS

By David Cartlidge (@davidjaca)

It's easy to get caught up in hype these days, and perhaps PSG were entangled in a bit of their own against Lyon on Sunday evening.

While several factors were at play; it was a moment of individual brilliance from Memphis Depay to secure the win for the hosts, PSG were down to ten men, Neymar was absent and Kylian Mbappe had to be withdrawn due to injury, there is still an overriding feeling that PSG are simply not quite there yet when it comes to being a complete unit.

The loss has PSG still eight points of their nearest rivals in Ligue 1, but the repercussions of this defeat could be significant and plant a seed of doubt in the PSG dressing room. For much of the game they seemed shellshocked against a youthful, hungry Lyon side. The enormous presence of Tanguy Ndombele striding through PSG's midfield was a sight to behold, as Unai Emery's men were unable to contain the 21-year-old. 

It was hardly the ideal preparation for the tie with Real Madrid, a tie many have already drawn a line under as a PSG cakewalk given the struggles encountered by Zinedine Zidane's men this term. Lyon however provided a reminder that PSG are still very much mortal, and if anything, look like half a team. Emery must take responsibility for this, and ask why after all this time his side could still be seen as rudderless - especially in the midfield engine room. Marco Verratti was utterly wretched and has stagnated as a player, while Giovani Lo Celso's hype was cooled with an invisible display. There's only really Adrien Rabiot who can come away pleased with his performance here, but even then he was rattled in the early stages and gave away the early free-kick that Nabil Fekir swung home.

Dani Alves was a disaster at right-back and was if anything put out of his misery went sent off. Brought in for his experience, this sort of misdemeanour is  Verratti flopped on the floor and moaned all game long while Layvin Kurzawa - despite his thunderbolt strike - was lethargic and disinterested at times. Alphonse Areola showed why PSG are keen to recruit a top class goalkeeper in the summer too. On the attacking end, Angel Di Maria didn't look to have the personality for such a contest, and in turn Edinson Cavani was isolated without his star studded partners in crime.

They are all players expected to perform against Real Madrid, and despite the poor performance of the Spanish outfit this term they will be no walk over. If anything, they come alive in the Champions League. PSG need to be aware of this and not only need to win, but must produce a display of the highest quality to prove they are now circus act. 

There is still a desperation to be taken seriously on the part of PSG and performances like this against Lyon will hardly progress that ambition. They still give the impression of a team lacking rhythm when it matters most, and despite a highlight reel performance against Dijon last Wednesday it's understandable why there remains scepticism over the project in Paris.