Despite the efforts of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé, Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-0 loss at Rennes on Sunday leaves them three points behind Lens, which is in second place. In the French league, this was Paris Saint-Germain’s second consecutive defeat at home.
Despite the efforts of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé, Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-0 loss at Rennes on Sunday leaves them three points behind Lens, which is in second place. In the French league, this was Paris Saint-Germain’s second consecutive defeat at home.
Mbappé, the team’s top scorer at the World Cup in Qatar, was brought in early in the second half by PSG, who started the game with Messi and Neymar in the attack. However, the match was played in torrential rain, and PSG only managed one successful shot. PSG coach Christophe Galtier says he will use video analysis to learn more about the team’s issues before making any decisions.
He stated, “After the images speak for themselves, choices will be made.” With a low, pointed shot that deflected off Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the lower right corner in the 65th minute, Rennes defender Hamari Traoré demonstrated how to score.
Shortly thereafter, Mbappé received a pass from Messi; However, in his 200th league game, instead of curling the ball past goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, he chose to shoot wide. For the majority of the game, Neymar went unnoticed, only emerging toward the end to confront Rennes defensemen when it was too late.
It was anticipated that Messi, Mbappé, and Neymar would represent PSG for the first time since the World Cup. Hugo Ekitiké started in Mbappé’s place, but Galtier didn’t use either Mbappé or the 16-year-old midfielder Warren Zare-Emery.
Bruno Genesio, the coach of Rennes, made a risky decision by placing Croatian Lovro Majer, 18-year-old Lesley Ugochukwu, and 17-year-old Désiré Doué in the middle of the field.
Rennes, a Brittany team that defeated PSG 2-0 at home to win the 2019 French Cup, proved to be a difficult opponent once more. “We knew we were in for a difficult game, and so it proved,” Galtier stated. Rennes, according to him, was far too relaxed.
Rennes remained in fifth place because it needed to beat PSG by two goals to reclaim fourth place on goal difference from Monaco. Rennes were prevented from doing that by Martin Terrier, who had 21 goals scored last season. He will not be able to play the remainder of the season because he had surgery on his right knee.
As Rennes fans waved a banner that read, “Martin, all the Rennes fans are with you,” Martin’s name was chanted. In the 27th minute, striker Arnaud Kalimuendo made the first save of the game, and Rennes forward Amine Gouiri made a second save late in the first half.
Similar to its 3-1 loss to Lens on New Year’s Day, PSG lost the majority of its second balls as it chased the game. Prior to that, Wissam Ben Yedder’s 14-minute hat trick helped Monaco defeat Ajaccio 7-1. The first goal was scored by Monaco’s central defender Axel Disasi in the second minute. Krépin Diatta, a midfielder, headed in a cross from Vanderson’s right flank, giving Ajaccio a 2-0 lead.
Ajaccio’s response was provided by Algerian striker Youcef Belali. On the other hand, Ben Yedder scored his treble in the 35th minute from a penalty kick, following his goals from precise finishes in the 21st and 28th minutes. In the final minute, substitute forward Breel Embolo scored twice.
Lille’s strikers performed admirably in their 5-1 victory over Troyes, with Jonathan David and Mohamed Bayo scoring twice each. David, who played for Canada at the World Cup, had scored 12 league goals prior to PSG’s match, putting him on par with Terem Moffi of Lorient and one goal behind Kylian Mbappé.
PROLIFIC FORWARDS
The forward for Lille, Alain Virginius, also scored, and the striker for Troyes, Mama Baldé, scored a consolation goal. Nine Montpellier players sustained injuries as a result of crowd disturbances during Montpellier’s 3-0 home defeat to Nantes. Early in the game, irate fans threw flares onto the field following Montpellier’s midweek 6-1 defeat to Nice. It was put on hold while the official let the players go, but it was back up 15 minutes later.
Things didn’t look good for Montpellier when Tunisia’s World Cup-scoring forward Wahbi Khazri was sent off for a careless challenge on Nantes midfielder Nathan Zézé, who was 17 years old. The visitors took the lead well into the final minute of the first half thanks to a defender named Andrei Girotto.
Things got even worse for Montpellier when their striker Elye Wahi was disqualified midway through the second half. Nantes prevailed thanks to goals from striker Mostafa Mohamed and midfielder Ludovic Blas in the final minute.
Elbasan Rashani, a striker from Kosovo, and Neto Borges, a defender, scored the goals that helped Clermont defeat last-place Angers 2-1 at home. In the final minute, Moroccan World Cup winger Soufiane Boufal scored the game-winning goal for Angers.
Toulouse and Reims drew 1-1 at home against struggling Brest in a midtable stalemate.
Lens and Marseille, who finished third, prevailed on Saturday.