French champions Paris Saint-Germain are entering into the first of their two final months of the season. With a massive nine matches to come in April, it will be Les Parisiens’ busiest month of the campaign and their most significant by far.
Over the course of the next four weeks or so, Laurent Blanc’s men will play five Ligue 1 games, two UEFA Champions League quarter-final fixtures, a Coupe de France semi-final and the Coupe de la Ligue final.
If that was not enough, beating English Premier League giants Manchester City will add the first leg of a Champions League semi-final to the mix.
That potential match could either take PSG’s April total up to 10 matches or replace one Ligue 1 clash—most likely Stade Rennais at home late in the month.
With so many fixtures to come in such a short space of time and European commitments the capital club’s top priority, Coach Blanc will need every bit of the squad depth available to him in order to lead the team through such a tricky month.
Le President must rotate his squad heavily and regularly to ensure his star players are fully fit for the most important encounters, so the French tactician’s fringe players will get plenty of opportunities to impress him.
One figure who is fighting for his future at Parc des Princes over the final weeks of the season is Benjamin Stambouli.
Only signed from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, the Frenchman has struggled to win over the PSG supporters—who largely opposed his arrival because of his known affection for bitter rivals Olympique de Marseille—and he has also failed to make much of an impression on the pitch.
Stambouli has arguably featured more often than he probably expected when he made the switch to the French capital.
However, the 25-year-old has rarely caught the eye, and Canal Supporters (in French) claimed PSG have already sounded out France international Lassana Diarra about a summer move from Marseille to Paris.
If such a move were to materialise, Stambouli would become surplus to requirements, and Diarra would become the heir to Thiago Motta’s deep-lying midfield role.
It is up to PSG’s current No. 4 to impress over the final few weeks of the term in order to force his employers to think twice about replacing him.
Elsewhere, the competition between Kevin Trapp, Salvatore Sirigu and Nicolas Douchez for the starting and substitute goalkeeper roles has left the Frenchman and the Italy international unhappy in the capital.
While Douchez is fast approaching the end of his career, though, Sirigu should still have a number of years left at the top level. The 29-year-old is almost certain to leave this summer, unless he miraculously usurps Trapp between the sticks between now and the end of the season.
However, even if the Azzurri star was to retake his starting role from the German in the coming weeks, he will then have to contend with the return of rising star Alphonse Areola this summer from his loan spell Villarreal CF.
Sirigu can fight for his future between now and the end of the campaign as much as he likes, but the odds are still stacked against him remaining in Paris past the end of term.
After training and playing with PSG’s reserve side over the past few weeks as punishment for an ill-advised Periscope session back in February, Serge Aurier will be reintegrated into Blanc’s senior squad after the current international break.
The Ivory Coast international may well feature for Le President again—despite his distasteful comments towards his coach and certain team-mates—but that does not mean his Parc des Princes future is secure.
Aurier must impress when given the chance between now and the end of the season to prove to the French champions they were not wrong in deciding against ending his career with the club after his Periscope controversy.
If the 23-year-old does not finish the campaign in convincing fashion, his employers could still decide to move him on this summer.
Strengthening Aurier’s position in Paris lately has been Gregory van der Wiel’s fall from grace.
The Netherlands international fell foul of team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic at half-time of PSG’s Ligue 1 title-clinching 9-0 win away at ESTAC Troyes recently, and he looks increasingly unlikely to sign a new contract.
With Van der Wiel likely to depart, it is highly improbable Les Parisiens also allow Aurier to leave in the same transfer window.
If the Dutchman wants to stay in Paris—perhaps he does not at this point—then he must prove, when given the chance between now and mid-May, he is at least the Ivorian’s equal.
This summer could be a difficult one for PSG, with a number of important players possibly looking for a new club because of their unhappiness at their current situations in Paris.
Marquinhos is one player who will be of great interest to a number of European sides this offseason, but he should get plenty of chances to secure his place in Blanc’s starting XI over the next few weeks.
With David Luiz struggling for form and now injured after returning home early from international duty with Brazil, Marquinhos will get a rare run of games alongside captain Thiago Silva in central defence.
PSG need no convincing of the young Brazilian’s potential, but they do require persuading he should be starting over Luiz. These next few weeks should give Marquinhos the chanced to prove this beyond all doubt.
Finally, Edinson Cavani also has plenty to prove between now and the end of the season. The Uruguay international has struggled to convince this campaign, and he could be looking for a new club this summer if his immediate situation does not change.
With Ibrahimovic’s contract running down and no extension news for the moment, El Matador could be PSG’s main goal threat next term. However, if the Ligue 1 giants are to trust him to fill Zlatan’s sizeable boots, then he must prove he merits their confidence.
These coming weeks will be crucial for Cavani, who is still not guaranteed a starting role under Blanc at present.
Although PSG are unlikely to sell all of the players mentioned this summer, all six are—in some way—playing for their futures between now and the end of the season.