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Blanc: I told you so

SoccerNews in Ligue 1 25 Oct 2014

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Paris Saint-Germain’s stuttering start to the campaign has simply underlined how “extraordinary” last term was, according to coach Laurent Blanc.

After being challenged about his team’s start to the season – PSG have won four and drawn six of their first 10 Ligue 1 matches – Blanc used the opportunity to say ‘I told you so’ to the French football media.

PSG won their second consecutive Ligue 1 title last season, claiming it by nine points from Monaco, while they also won the Coupe de France, Trophee des Champions and reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Blanc argues the media and PSG fans did not appreciate the enormity of last season’s achievements at the time and that the capital club’s beginning to the 2014-15 campaign gives them context rather than indicating a slump.

“You are comparing a season that was extraordinary with the current one that is, at the moment, average,” the PSG coach said on Friday.

“Of course, we are not play as nicely as we did, our individuals haven’t delivered as much as they did last season.

“Let’s wait for the season to be finished before drawing any conclusions or comparisons with last year. It is very hard to draw a parallel between our two seasons.

“Firstly, we have only played 10 games of Ligue 1 and three Champions League games. I think the start of our season and our Champions League campaign makes us realise , and the journalists too, how exceptional our season was last year.

“When I was saying it last year, you were not convinced.”

PSG defeated APOEL 1-0 in Cyprus on Tuesday to maintain an unbeaten start to the 2014-15 Champions League and return to Paris to welcome Bordeaux on Saturday.

Bordeaux will arrive in the capital in third position in the French top tier on 18 points, just behind second-placed PSG on goal difference.

But Blanc hinted that Bordeaux may not be able to maintain their lofty position as the Coupe de la Ligue and Coupe de France begin later in the season.

“They did start the season brilliantly with good performances, and they have a young coach [Willy Sagnol] coming in with a new philosophy,” he said.

“He did instil this spirit in his team and it has worked pretty well for them. They are a dangerous opponent but the season is long and it is very hard to deliver every week.

“Some more competitions will start and there will be even more games.”

Bordeaux have lost their past five games against PSG and have not won at the Parc des Princes since 2010.

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