Doubt creeps in: a clueless Paris Saint-Germain suffered their second defeat of the season in the league at Rennes (1-0), but above all the second in their last three Ligue 1 matches, Sunday at the end of the 19th day. Unable to contain a team yet deprived of its two best attackers, Martin Terrier, long-term injured, and Benjamin Bourigeaud, suspended, PSG increases the concern arising from its outings since the recovery after the World Cup.
Here is Lens (2nd), winner of PSG on January 1 (3-1), back to three lengths behind the leader, and Marseille (3rd) to five. A month away from reuniting with Bayern Munich in the knockout stages of the Champions League (February 14, March 8), the Parisian collective paled in comparison to the well-oiled one from Rennes.
The captain, at the end of the contract, Hamari Traoré blew up Roazhon Park by opening the scoring (65th) after an excellent job by Adrien Truffert, untenable the whole match. The Bretons (5th) signed their ninth victory in a row at home, and beat PSG three times during their last four visits to the stadium on the banks of the Vilaine.
MNM without sparks
But more than statistics, PSG must be concerned about its level of play. It cannot always count on a flash of genius to overturn a match that started badly. The post-World Cup reunion of the MNM Kylian Mbappé / Neymar / Lionel Messi, reconstituted after the entry into play of Mbappé (55th), did not spark.
For his second match as world champion, the “Pulga” did not weigh, he who had scored against Angers (2-0) on Wednesday. Neymar presented his bad sides, loss of balls, like the one which leads to the free kick of Lovro Majer, and sulky and contesting attitudes.
On the bench for his return after his staggered vacation after the World Cup, Kylian Mbappé, who entered to warm applause from Roazhon Park in place of a transparent Hugo Ekitike, did not work a miracle as against Strasbourg, where he had snatched victory (2-1) at the last second. For his 200th match in Ligue 1, the 2022 vice-world champion even ate a golden opportunity in front of Steve Mandanda (69th).
But behind the three stars nobody assured, apart from the “Titi” Warren Zaire-Emery and Gianluigi Donnarumma. From the height of his 16 years, the midfielder won duels and ensured recovery of the ball full of temperament.
Three-way defense renewed
The Italian goalkeeper stopped everything except the goal, where he is alone against the Malian captain of Rennes. “Gigio” released the beautiful volley from Arnaud Kalimuendo on a tense cross from Truffert (22nd), two free kicks from Majer (33rd, 56th) and a powerful strike from Amine Gouiri (39th).
Renewed by Christophe Galtier, the three-man defense, reviewed against Angers (2-0) on Wednesday, suffered against Rennes. On goal, Achraf Hakimi, who had just come into play in place of Nordi Mukiele, was easily obliterated by Truffert’s feint.
Marquinhos, who prefers to play two at the hinge, also struggled. The captain, like some of his partners, again experienced an unusual technical waste. Galtier had underlined these inaccuracies in the passes, taking source according to him in a disparate level of preparation after the 45 days of interruption. But the situation has not improved in this regard.
In the first period, Paris was only dangerous on a strike countered by Joe Rodon (41st) and a raid by Lionel Messi, again stopped by the Welsh defender when striking (43rd). The first real Parisian opportunity came from the central defenders, a handover from Sergio Ramos for a header from Danilo Pereira blocked by Steve Mandanda (48th). Hugo Ekitike, yet three times scorer in the previous four matches, failed to stand out to be served. He repeatedly made poor call choices and touched very little ball. It symbolizes the bankruptcy of a champion of France who must pull himself together.