Next steps for PSG after Kvaratskhelia ruled out the rest of the season with ruptured ACL | ESPN FC
Kvaratskhelia's season-ending ACL rupture leaves PSG facing squad-depth and attacking questions
The show discusses Kvaratskhelia being ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured ACL and what it means for PSG's attack and squad depth. The panel agrees it is a major blow, but splits on whether PSG's bench can cover it: one side sees enough depth, while another sees a short attack and a possible January move.
- Kvaratskhelia cannot be replaced; PSG have talented players who can compensate, but no one can truly fill his role. — He has already shown special ability at Napoli and last season, and he is an MVP-caliber player who sells tickets.
- An ACL usually means about nine months to a year out, which is a huge blow for PSG, but their bench and squad depth are strong enough to find solutions in that role. — The recovery timeline is long, but PSG's full roster is strong and substitutes have already featured early in the season.
- PSG will likely need to add an attacking player in the January transfer window, though he may not need to start. — With Kvaratskhelia out long term, they no longer have another wide option when a starter underperforms; selling Barcola to Liverpool may now be regretted.
- PSG's attack is not deep enough right now; after Kvaratskhelia's absence, they cannot rely only on Dembele and makeshift options. — Dembele is injury-prone and has soft-tissue issues, and he has already had to come off; if he also breaks down, the available replacements are different types of players or play on the wrong side and do not solve the problem.
On ESPN FC, Frank Leboeuf, Stewart Robson, Jurgen Klinsmann and Ale Moreno react to PSG's Khvica Kvaratskhelia being ruled out the rest of the season with a ruptured ACL. ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN ESPNFC
Transcript
of course he lives in Paris and we've got some bad news coming from Paris tonight as we talk about injuries today coming from the Champions League and that's that Kiche Kavad Skeleia is out for the season. Here's a post from him. He says it hasn't been a long time but it's still on my mind. Why me anyway? I've never missed anything probably. I prepared for this game the best I've ever prepared for. I'm ready to go through these months in labor, pain, tears. I won't let you down. I promise I won't waste a second. Thank you all for your support. see you soon. So, it's his ACL. It's a huge blow to PSG, Frank. >> It is. It is because uh Gara is uh is an exceptional player and uh and we won't see him for like almost a year now and the season is already over and without him is going to be different. Diaz, they have talent. Yeah, they can compensate, but you cannot replace Vashkellia. And we saw that last season with the talent that he has. And we saw that before when he was playing for for for Naples. And the guy is just a he just a special player. Players, you know, when I when we talk about the Balondo, I like to talk about the MVPs because those kind of players, they make people buying tickets because they're so special. And it's why we're going to miss for almost a year. So we want we want to wish him a a very good recovery and hope he's going to come back as he was a fantastic player >> for somebody for somebody who doesn't like talking about the balandor. He sure brings it up a lot. >> He brought it up, didn't he? Yeah. Going to be interested to know what you think of PSG's trans >> renamed it >> without Kavara and what a big missia is for PSG now that he's out for the rest of the season. No, it's a big bummer for PSJ obviously for for him fast um the most you know because uh an ACL you can usually calculate about 9 months so almost a year until you're back you know and then you take it takes time then to to get back on track but but for PJ is a bummer but I think they have a very strong bench I mean if you look at the the entire roster of PJ they might have the capability to to find solutions there in that role um here and there. Guys came also now in the first couple of games from the bench. So I hope it doesn't hurt them too much, but it's obviously for the players it's for the player it's a it's a tough pill to swallow. >> The PSG need to bring another player in Robo in January. >> Uh they'd obviously they'd like to because if one of the wide players doesn't play particularly well, they've always had another one that could come in. That's not quite the case now with Caris Failia being injured for that long. So it's certainly going to affect them and they probably will look for somebody in the January transfer window when they can bring in somebody that might not start in the side but if somebody's not playing particularly well they can bring in because remember they sold Barcoola to to Liverpool which they probably wish they didn't now >> and it's not just about Kavascalia it's about the fact that Dembele is injuryprone he always has some sort of niggle some sort of soft tissue situation going on and in fact he had to come off the field and so you're thinking okay we can do without Cavarascalia. But if it's Dembele also that is having problems or if Dick gets injured then well we depending on Feran Torres. No, don't do that. Let me just tell you that's not the answer. I don't think it's enough right now in the attack for I can't believe I'm saying this. I don't think it's enough right now in the attack for PSG. If you just go along with Kavaras is out then Bella tends to have injuries now what desire do Veran Torres and is a am I am I supposed to get excited about Aklush and him being the answer well he's a different type of player and plays on the opposite side so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense yes they seem to be a number short in the attack >> all right you were a little bit upset with me yesterday because I didn't respect and say goodbye properly Jurgen Kinsman >> world cup >> so it is that time of the show that we do let Jurgen Go. And Jurgen, thank you so much for joining us today. >> This is a proper goodbye. >> Thank you guys.