Four days after the great performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League, the Parisians appeared unrecognizable national championship, and were heavily punished by the Nantais.
Le Monde
Despite its entry-Messi-Neymar Mbappé trio aligned, PSG is heavily tilted Saturday, February 19 in Nantes (3-1), its second defeat of the season in Ligue 1, showing unrecognizable four days after its European performance against Real Madrid … and very remonstrated against arbitration.
The 1-0 victory against the Madrid Tuesday in the Champions League was to serve as “match reference” but it did not happen. In contrast, PSG has fallen back into its through: exceeded in intensity, absent in midfield, brittle defensively, Parisians were punished by Nantais, who led 3-0 at halftime, and the finished game ranting against Mr. Lesage decisions, judged too lax.
“We got ch .. above with the referees,” he cursed the middle Marco Verratti the micro Canal +. Equally annoyed, sporting director Leonardo has enraged against arbitration “without control”, blaming Mr. Lesage for not having protected his players and of trying to whistle “against” the Parisian club. “Hats off to Nantes (Nantes coach Antoine) Kombouare I’m happy for him, but the management of the game, the feeling is,” I whistle against you, “and honestly it bothers,” shouted the officer.
striking contrast
Anyway, Parisians were unable to string in the league after a fine European performance. Early in the season already, Paris had lost his first game in League 1 against Rennes (2-0) in the wake of his victory against Manchester City on the same score. As often this season, PSG gave the impression of not being as involved as in the European events.
What a contrast with the intensity set by the Parisians a few days ago against Real. If the capital club had stifled the people of Madrid, this time he suffered the Nantes fury. In front of their audience boiling Stade de la Beaujoire, sold out for the occasion, men Kombouare took the entrance advantage when Randal Kolo Muani reached an initiated against Moses Simon, speed taking the Paris defense not reactive enough (4 th ). It is then Quentin Merlin took advantage of the spaces provided by the PSG rearguard with her first goal in Ligue 1 (16 th ), a striking skylight. Just before halftime, a hand Wijnaldum in the area from a corner gave a penalty to Nantais, converted by Ludovic Blas (45 th 6).
In front, the association between Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé was back from the kickoff with the first start of the Brazilian since his injury late November in Saint-Etienne. From the outset, the trio sought and the public Beaujoire felt that the three men could hold the keys to the game.
A trio of attack to the sentence
With Messi, most of the time and torchbearer for axial accelerations Mbappé and percussion “Ney”, the Parisian attack overtaken men Antoine Kombouare, but stumbled on the impassable Alban Lafont . Lafont is interposed before Messi after a move to three dazzling trio (8 th ), then before Gueye on a pass from Argentine shortly before the half-hour mark, and Mbappé ( 29 th ), in particular.
It has however nothing could be done, to recovery, to a further acceleration of “MNM” finally right: served by Mbappé, Messi found a great cross masked Neymar, who is this time applied to deceive Lafont (47 th ). The three attackers continued their efforts in vain, even Neymar missing too softly struck penalty just before the hour mark, before leaving (73 th ).
They have two more league matches to narrow their relationship on the field before the return match against Real. For Paris, this second defeat in Ligue 1 has little impact in the standings, as the capital club still has thirteen points ahead of Marseille. But this is a wakeup call, three weeks of the eighth-final C1 in Madrid.