Paris Saint-Germain, completely overhauled by Luis Enrique, was surprised and slowed down on Saturday April 6 by bottom-placed Clermont (1-1), four days before its Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona.
The meeting was also marked by the entry into play of captain Marquinhos, who thus equaled the record held by Jean-Marc Pilorget for the number of matches played with the capital club (435).
Clermont was not far from creating a huge surprise by winning at the Parc des Princes, like last year. But the Auvergnats broke down at the very end of the match (85th) in the face of multiple Parisian opportunities.
PSG was saved by scorer Gonçalo Ramos and Kylian Mbappé following a good sequence between the two players. They avoided the first Parisian defeat since November and above all bad vibes before the most important match of the season on Wednesday against Barcelona, Luis Enrique’s former club.
This match of extremes between the leader who received the 18th and the red lantern of Ligue 1, was the opportunity for Luis Enrique to rotate his entire squad.
Record eleven changes
He made eleven changes in the team’s starting line-up compared to the last match – Wednesday against Rennes in the Coupe de France semi-final (1-0), which had never happened during the Qatari era all competitions combined, according to the statistician Opta.
“I don’t want any player who thinks of Barcelona, but only of Clermont”had warned the coach on Friday, “maybe some players will be less motivated but we have to be at the level”he recognized for this meeting stuck between the meeting against Rennes and Wednesday’s match.
He took no risks in resting his staff: Hernandez, Mendes, Zaire-Emery and Barcola were not on the scoresheet, as well as Donnarumma. And Mbappé, Dembélé and Marquinhos started the match on the bench.
Two young 17-year-old Parisians took advantage of the complete turnover: Senny Mayulu and Yoram Zague. The first was not far from living a waking dream, author of a great goal for his first start, finally canceled following a mistake by the second at the start of the action (45+7).
Nordi Mukiele injured in the head
Nordi Mukiele was also lined up on Saturday but he left quickly after a clash with Auvergne goalkeeper Massamba Ndiaye.
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With a bloody face, he seemed quite furious at having to leave the field but PSG applied the concussion protocol. He was replaced by Achraf Hakimi, who hit the bar (59th).
With their foot on the ball but at a slow pace, the Parisians were surprised at the half-hour mark by a goal from Habib Keita (1-0, 32nd) due to a recovery error from Milan Skriniar.
Well in place, the defense of Clermont, which remained in two matches without defeat (a victory and a draw) against PSG, held despite the incursions into the surface of the Parisians (43rd, 49th, 57th, 59th, 61st, 62nd, 70ᵉ, 80ᵉ). They finally broke down at the very end of the match (85th).
Before that, Marquinhos, by entering the field to replace Milan Skriniar (67th), became the most capped player in the history of PSG with 435 matches played, tied with Jean-Marc Pilorget. And he received a standing ovation for his entry, just like Mbappé, who played his 300th.