PSG's 3 biggest winners from the international break
In total, 15 PSG players were called up for their senior national team. Warren Zaire Emery was originally in the France squad for the UEFA Nations League games but had to pull out with an injury.
While there are some players who could have done without the break, there are others who needed to go on international duty.
PSG's 3 biggest winners from the international break
Mika Godts (Belgium)
Since joining Ajax in the summer, Godts has made five appearances for the French champions. In total, he has played 118 minutes for Les Parisiens, as attack is the strongest part of PSG's team. Luis Enrique can call upon the likes of Dembele, Khvicha and Doue. If he has a good international break for Belgium, then he could give Enrique a selection headache when club football resumes.
Maghnes Akliouche (France)
Akliouche is in a similar position to Godts, as he has to break into PSG's team in their strongest position. Another similarity is that both attackers will struggle to start for their national teams, particularly Akliouche. The former Monaco winger faces stern competition from Michael Olise, Dembele, Rayan Cherki, and Doue in the national team.
The 24-year-old's best opportunity to get game time is if Zinedine Zidane rotates in the UEFA Nations League or if a key player picks up an injury. There are several games (Belgium and Italy) in which Zidane can test out Akliouche, as this international break is bigger than usual. Competition in the squad will only make Akliouche a better player, as he has to work even harder in training. Unlike Godts, Akliouche won't need time to adapt, as he didn't come in from a different league.
Illia Zabarnyi (Ukraine)
Out of the three mentioned players, Zabarnyi will benefit the most from this international break. The centre-back is guaranteed playing time, unlike Akliouche and Godts, as his national team doesn't have the same quality as Belgium or France. Unlike Akliouche and Godts, the centre-back has not appeared in the league for the European champions.
This is a slight surprise when you factor in that he started in the Champions League against Slovan Bratislava. If he doesn't get much playing time this season, he may be tempted to leave the club, as a lack of game time will hinder his progress.
