Luis Enrique addresses MAJOR PSG concern ahead of Barcelona clash

Spot-kick struggles

PSG are navigating a concerning penalty problem despite their strong recent form. Following successive misses from the spot by Doue, Torres, and Dembele, manager Enrique has openly admitted that his squad currently lacks a genuine penalty specialist.

While PSG continue to win matches, their inability to convert penalties is becoming a noticeable trend. Dembele was the latest culprit, missing his attempt shortly after coming off the bench during 3-1 victory over Strasbourg.

This followed a high-profile miss just days earlier in the Champions League. Torres failed to convert during PSG's impressive 4-2 victory against Manchester City.

Enrique's honest admission

When asked about the recent string of misses, Enrique did not shy away from the issue. The Spanish manager acknowledged the problem while maintaining confidence in his squad's overall ability.

"It's a statistic that's a bit difficult to judge," Enrique explained, as quoted by InfoMercato. "But every time we have played a final, we had quality takers. We have many players capable of taking penalties, but it is true that we lack a specialist."

He was quick to add that the team still possesses options despite the lack of a dedicated expert, saying: "With Vitinha, Ousmane, and others, we nevertheless have several solutions."

Missing past specialists

PSG have previously demonstrated proficiency from the spot, notably during their recent Champions League final triumph against Arsenal. In that decisive shootout, Goncalo Ramos, Doue, Achraf Hakimi, and Lucas Beraldo all converted their attempts, with only Nuno Mendes failing to score.

However, the summer departure of Ramos to AC Milan has deprived Enrique of a reliable option. Even other attacking stars are struggling; Khvicha Kvaratskhelia recently missed a penalty on international duty for Georgia against Northern Ireland in the Nations League.

Doue also missed a penalty in a 3-1 win over Le Mans, though Beraldo successfully converted in the same match. So far, these three missed penalties have not cost the capital club any points, as they have emerged victorious in all three fixtures.

Barcelona test looms

The pressure is mounting on PSG to resolve their penalty woes as they prepare for a massive Champions League clash against Barcelona. In high-stakes European encounters, squandering golden opportunities from the spot can prove disastrous.