Ideas cannot be bought – Sacchi slams ´weak´ PSG

Iconic Italian coach Arrigo Sacchi was scathing of Paris Saint-Germain following their Champions League last-16 exit at the hands of Real Madrid, labelling the Ligue 1 leaders a “very weak opponent”.

French giants PSG failed to reach the quarter-finals after Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at home to two-time defending champions Madrid in Paris.

Already without the world’s most expensive player, Neymar, a 10-man PSG – who had Marco Verratti sent off in the second half – were helpless as goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro sealed a 5-2 aggregate win for Madrid.

And Sacchi, winner of back-to-back European Cups with AC Milan in 1989 and 1990, took aim at cashed-up PSG post-match.

“Real faced a very weak opponent,” the 71-year-old told Mediaset. 

“PSG are only a group of players. The word ‘game’ may be abstract, difficult to describe but it has made all the difference tonight.

“Ideas cannot be bought… PSG are missing a lot of things.”

FULL TIME: #PSGREAL pic.twitter.com/K4GEoFogAZ

— PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (@PSG_English) March 6, 2018

PSG’s inability to translate their domestic dominance into European success has only increased pressure on under-fire head coach Unai Emery.

Emery is out of contract at the end of the season and reports claim PSG will look to replace the 46-year-old amid links with the likes of Antonio Conte and Arsene Wenger.

Sacchi added: “Emery is a very good coach. He just needs the club behind him, and especially as the players follow his ideas.

“In Europe, you need the mentality but also the game. The game is like the score of a music and the scenario of a film.”