After Lyon (2-1), Metz (2-1) and Angers (2-1), here is once again that the Parisians flee in the last moments. Paris-Saint-Germain, long led by the score, snatched the three points of the victory against the defending champion Lille (2-1), Friday, October 29 at the Parc des Princes, at the opening of the 12e Ligue 1 day.
Neymar, criticized in recent weeks for his disappointing performance (only 1 goal, from the penalty spot), played the leading role in an evening under the sign of the phoenix. He initiated the tempo of the “Remountada” Parisian with her dribbling and self-sacrifice in pressing, against Lille wrung out at the end of the match. The ultras even sang “Thank you Neymar” after the 2-1 goal: the decisive pass was signed “Ney”.
Earlier (74e), Marquinhos equalized on a serve from Di Maria, the other great guy of the evening, who had his best game of the season.
But the championship leader also experienced enormous difficulties in imposing his game, especially in the first period, ended under the whistles, justified, spectators.
Lille, who opened the scoring by Jonathan David (31e), can feed regrets, as there were so many opportunities to take a break. But the defending champion still lacked realism, his big flaw this season, and goes on a third consecutive game without winning. The men of Jocelyn Gourvennec (10e) could end up in the second part of the table at the end of the day.
His Parisian counterpart, Mauricio Pochettino, can continue to work rather calmly, before a decisive Champions League match in Leipzig on Wednesday.
Glaring problems
But he still risks scratching his head on how best to evolve his superstars together. In the absence of Kylian Mbappé, sick, the positioning of Messi at the forefront of the attack, where he shone for many years at FC Barcelona, was eagerly awaited. But the Argentinian has been left to fend for himself, abandoned by an almost non-existent collective.
In defense, the situation was hardly better, despite the efforts of Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe to contain the Lille.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma also deployed, from the first minute, to deflect a dangerous shot from Burak Yilmaz.
But still, Lille have found the flaw, in particular by exploiting the corridors, a well-known weakness of PSG. Yilmaz dropped Thilo Kehrer on the right wing, to serve David who, all alone, beat Donnarumma at close range. The Canadian, top scorer in L1, scored his 8e goal.
The opening of the northerly score, logical, did not have the effect of a detonator for Danilo Pereira’s teammates. We had to wait until half-time to see something move on the Parisian side.
The exit of Messi, replaced by Mauro Icardi, took by surprise the public of the Parc des princes, who came largely to admire his genius. Without Mbappé or Messi, Neymar remained to get PSG out of trouble. Before the match he was a member of the “MNM” the most criticized. “Ney” proved him right, with a performance that resembles him, both spectacular and full of resentment. “Critics are normal. I’ve been playing football for fifteen years, it leaves me indifferent, the superstar reacted to Prime Video’s microphone. I do what I can for my team on the pitch. “
In its tracks, Paris was better, at the same time as Lille went down. The opportunities to lead have multiplied (69e, 72e) before the happy ending.