Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 6, 27/09/24
In the absence of key personnel with Gianluigi Donnarumma, Lucas Hernandez, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Marco Asensio and Gonçalo Ramos all missing out through injury, PSG head coach Luis Enrique had no choice but to field a heavily-changed side against Rennes, four days before a mouth-watering Champions League clash at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
Les Parisiens thought they had clinched a third-minute opener with Marquinhos beating Steve Mandanda from close range. The Brazilian centre-back was offside after his fellow countryman Lucas Beraldo fed him. The hosts were on top of the proceedings with birthday boy João Neves – who turned 20 – pulling the strings in a deeper midfield role. Against his formative club, Ousmane Dembélé proved particularly wasteful, missing two clear goalscoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes. Achraf Hakimi rattled Mandanda’s crossbar following Bradley Barcola’s foray forward down the left.
The France international winger only needed one chance to find Mandanda’s net with a brilliant right-footed curling effort following a fast counter-attack engineered by Neves and Dembélé. A deserved lead considering Rennes were on the back foot from the get-go. Paris could even have had a bigger lead had they made the most of the visitors’ gaps at the back.
The second half started like the first one, with PSG denied a goal. Hakimi lashed a perfect outside-of-the-boot finish to beat Mandanda, but the Morocco right-back was offside. It was only a matter of time before PSG got their second of the night. Barcola went close to replicating his opener, but this time, his curling effort struck Mandanda’s left post for the unmarked Kang-In Lee to head home.
Troubles deepened for Rennes when substitute Mikayil Faye clumsily lost the ball in midfield, which allowed Lee to release Hakimi, whose cross found the onrushing Barcola for the latter to complete his brace. Les Parisiens‘ night could have been perfect had Lucas Beraldo not handed Hans Hateboer’s header. The referee pointed to the spot and Arnaud Kalimuendo coolly dispatched past Matvey Safonov. The Russian goalkeeper had a few tense moments when PSG loosened his grip, but he showed a strong hand to deny Albert Grønbæk.
Rennes thought they had reduced the deficit again after Alidu Seidu rifled home from a tight angle, but the right-back’s was fouled for a handball. Luis Enrique, who heavily rotated his side in the second half in preparation for the Arsenal game on Tuesday, cut an agitated figure on the touchline, seeing his side too easily outmuscled by Rennes in the dying minutes. Eventually, PSG claimed a fifth win in six Ligue 1 games. As for the Bretons, they will fall in the lower half of the standings after conceding a third league defeat. All eyes are on the Emirates Stadium now for PSG.
PSG players ratings
Matvey Safonov, 5
Achraf Hakimi, 6
Marquinhos, 6
Willian Pacho, 6
Lucas Beraldo, 3
The Brazilian centre-back had a nervy start in dealing with Ludovic Blas on PSG’s left side. He stepped up with some important blocks but he proved a liability in the last 15 minutes. He cost his side a penalty and was lucky to see Alidu Seidu’s goal being disallowed.
João Neves, 7
On his 20th birthday, the Sporting CP youth product put in another excellent midfield shift, dictating the play from deep with precise and forward-oriented passes. Acquiring his services for the same amount (€60m) they sold Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United looks like an incredible piece of shrewd business from the Ligue 1 champions.
Fabian Ruiz, 5
Warren Zaïre-Emery, 4
Ousmane Dembélé, 5
A trademark Dembélé game. The Rennes academy graduate proved hilariously wasteful upfront in between some genuine moments of pure class and pace. To his credit, he assisted Barcola courtesy of a burst of coordinated pressing with Neves.
Kang-in Lee, 7
In an unfamiliar centre-forward role, the South Korea international proved a reliable outlet for his teammates thanks to his excellent technique and hold-up play. He doubled his side’s lead in lunging himself to head home Barcola’s post-bound shot.
Bradley Barcola, 8
With Ramos and Kolo Muani absent, the speedy PSG winger took matters into his own hands with aplomb and ruthlessness. The France international scored a brilliant curler as well as a poacher’s finish from close range and was essential to Kang-In Lee’s goal. Barcola now tops Ligue 1’s goalscoring charts with six strikes to his name.
Selected Rennes players ratings
Leo Østigård, 3
The Norway international was tasked with dealing with Barcola and that did not work at all. The France international got the better of the former Napoli man on numerous occasions. Hooked after the hour mark by Julien Stéphan.
Christophe Wooh, 3
The Cameroon international lost the ball that led to Barcola’s opener. Booked for a dangerous tackle on Kang-In Lee.
GFFN | Bastien Cheval