PSG suffer their first defeat of the season

Photo: Loic Venance / Getty Images

PSG players have suffered their first defeat of the season in a Ligue 1 away match from Rennes, with the result ending 2 – 0 in favour of the home side.

PSG started today’s match with Neymar, Messi and Mbappe in attack, while Di Maria, Verrati and Gueye played behind them, but even in that composition they could not avoid defeat and the home team completely deservedly beat them. Although PSG had control of the ball and much greater possession at the beginning of the match, the home players had several dangerous opportunities and in the end they took a 1 – 0 lead through Laborda at the end of the first half.

It should also be mentioned that PSG had their best chance in the first half through Messi, who shot brilliantly from a free kick, but the crossbar stopped that attempt.

It was clear that the home team would come to victory in the 46th minute when Tait scored for 2 – 0 and brought a great lead to his team. Although PSG had several good chances by the end of the match, they still failed to score and in the end suffered their first defeat of the season.

After nine games played, PSG firmly remain first on the table with eight wins and one defeat, or 24 points won. In the next match, they will face Angers at home.

PSG already plays its cards for Haaland in case Mbappe doesn’t renew

Photo: Leon Kuegeler / Reuters

One of the key names of the past summer transfer market was, without a doubt, Eerling Haaland. The young Norwegian star has become one of the most coveted players on the football planet.

Today there are many teams that have been interested in getting his services. However, Borussia Dortmund has flatly refused to let him out… at least for now. One of the teams that asked about Haaland was Paris Saint-Germain. Leonardo, the Sporting Director of the Parisians, has a good relationship with Mino Raiola, Eerling’s agent among many others. Until now, the figures for the possible transfer were not entirely clear, but according to ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’, Raiola would have asked for a salary of 50 million euros a year.

This situation, however, has several aspects that must be taken into account. First, the cost of the transfer. According to various specialists, the market value of Haaland is approximately 120 million euros. On the other hand, according to sources, his termination clause is between 75 and 90 million, a figure much lower than the aforementioned market value.

According to the Italian newspaper, Raiola would have assured that the total amount of the operation is lower than said market value. Thus, the agent would have justified in this way the high emoluments of the player. Let us remember, in the same way, that Mino Raiola already spoke with the club about the signing of Gigio Donnarumma. In fact, the goalkeeper reached cost 0 upon termination of his contract with his former team. This could have been, among others, the moment when he would have had the conversation for Haaland.

The second name in contention in this whole affair, according to ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’, is Kylian Mbappe. Throughout the summer it was rumored with the signing of him by Real Madrid. In this way, the departure of Mbappe would be key for Haaland to be able to join the Parisian club. In fact, there they would see him as the perfect substitute for French. Consequently, if Kylian finally lands at the Santiago Bernabeu, the best-positioned team to take Erling would be Paris Saint-Germain.

In the end we would be talking about a chip exchange between some of the most powerful clubs on the old continent. While it is true that there is still nothing official, it would fit a lot with the market situation and in the interests of all clubs… except, perhaps, Borussia.

With Messi’s debut goal, PSG defeated City and hinted at a campaign for winning the Champions League

Photo: Franck Fife / AFP

PSG players beat Manchester City in the derby of this group stage of this season’s Champions League with the result of 2 – 0.

The match at the Princes’ Park in Paris was very open, and the home players had a reason to celebrate at the end of the match. PSG took the lead from the first serious opportunity in the game. Hakimi found Mbappe from the right side, he enters the penalty area and passes the return ball to Gueye, who with a violent kick knocks down the helpless Ederson, who just looks at the ball that went under the fork.

City could have equalized in the 25th minute when Sterling had a great chance but hit the crossbar. The ball then bounced to Silva who failed to score from just a few meters. The guests continued their attacks, and in the 33rd minute Cancelo shot from 20 meters, but Donnarumma defended PSG were waiting for a chance from the counter, and one came in the 38th minute when Mbappe passed to Herrera who shot from the first, but Ederson was safe. With 40 minutes gone, City’s De Bruyne had to leave the pitch after talking back to the referee and receiving his second booking. However, the referee was unimpressed, and booked him for diving.

City had the last chance in the second half when Dias shot, but that shot was also easy prey for Donnarumma. City continued to attack in the second half, but PSG defended brilliantly, and in the 66th minute they were able to reach the second round.

Messi hired Neymar who goes out alone on Ederson but shoots next to goal. In the 74th minute of the match, Messi finished Manchester City. He played a double pass with Mbappe and scored a Euro goal for 2: 0. The Parisians managed to defend themselves and recorded a very significant victory, which indicated that they are serious candidates for winning the Champions League trophy.

In this group, Club Brugge made a big surprise and celebrated away at Leipzig with the result 2 – 1, while Borussia Dortmund defeated Sporting 1 – 0 at home.

Mbappe does not work with Messi and Neymar?

The arrival of Messi and the permanence of Mbappé offered Pochettino the possibility of aligning a dream trident. However, the first appearances of the three stars have not offered the expected result.

City will be the third team to test the effectiveness of the Parisian attack. Mbappé, along with Neymar and Messi, is less Mbappé. That feeling comes off after the two games in which the three coincided on the field. Against Bruges and against Lyon, Messi, Neymar and Kylian started. In this last Ligue 1 match, the French forward barely came into contact with the ball on 28 occasions, playing the entire match. He hadn’t offered such a low record in a season and a half.

More comfortable on the band In those two games in which the three have been on the field, Mbappé has not scored a goal but has given two assists. Curiously, those two goal passes came from the wing, a position where Kylian is most comfortable and that he must sacrifice when Neymar and Messi are on the field. Pochettino has already dropped that the trident, and especially Mbappé, go through a logical period of adaptation.

First they have to get to know each other on the field and assimilate certain movements that their teammates make. And this will not be easy. In fact, the first frictions with Mbappé’s controversial statements on the PSG bench in the last engagement of the Parisian team have already come to light.

To get those three figures of such depth to coexist and understand each other is not an easy task for Pochettino. Mbappé, for the moment, seems to be the most affected.

Official: Messi joined PSG!

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One of the best football players in the world, Lionel Messi (33), is a new PSG player, the French club confirmed on social media.

Messi arrived in Paris today for medical examinations and signing a contract. The transfer was also confirmed by PSG in a video, announcing that the attack of the most trophy-winning French club will be intensified by the legendary Messi.

Although the financial details of the contract have not been announced, L’Equipe previously revealed that Messi has agreed on a two-year cooperation, with the possibility of extending it for another year, and the Argentine will receive around 35 million euros per season. The same source stated that Messi refused to take the number 10 from Neymar and that he was ready to play in the number 19 jersey, and he joined the ranks of the Parisians as a free agent after the expiration of his contract with Barcelona.

By bringing in Messi, PSG formed perhaps the deadliest attack we have had the opportunity to watch in the world of football. In addition to the Argentine, the fantastic trio will also include Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, and when we add the other stars, it is clear that the Parisians have created the strongest team, at least “on paper”. Already this summer, Achraf Hakimi, Georginio Wijnaldum, Sergio Ramos and Gianluigi Donnarumma were brought in, and Danilo Pereira from Porto was bought out, so PSG fans could not have imagined a better transfer window.

Messi arrived in the youth categories of Barcelona in 2000 from Newell’s Old Boys, and has spent his entire professional career in the Catalans’ jersey. He scored 672 goals and 305 assists for Barca in 778 appearances, and since July 1 this year, he has been a free agent. In the Barcelona jersey, he won as many as 34 trophies, the most important of which are ten Spanish championship titles and four Champions Leagues, and a record six times he won the Golden Ball – recognition for the best footballer in the world. The official contract signing ceremony will take place soon.