A week after their victory in the Champions Trophy against Nantes, Paris Saint-Germain delivered a demonstration during the first day of the French championship in Clermont, Saturday August 6 (5-0). PSG, with its new coach Christophe Galtier, an in-form Neymar and a very inspired Lionel Messi, is launching this 2022-2023 season ideally.
The new look PSG takes care of its debut. After a painful 2021-2022 season, punctuated certainly by a new title in Ligue 1 but also by a pitiful elimination in the Champions League and a loss of love from many supporters disappointed with the game played, the club’s staff has made sweeping changes. Exit coach Mauricio Pochettino and sporting director Leonardo. The former was replaced by Christophe Galtier, while Luis Campos arrived to take up the post of sports adviser. The “bling bling” recruitment policy has also endedgiving way to a more sensible strategy.
It is not after just two matches that we will draw definitive conclusions on the merits and effectiveness of the work undertaken. However, the French champion reveals a clearly brighter face after a few weeks of this new recipe. On July 31, during the Champions Trophy in Tel Aviv, Paris had crunched Nantes (4-0). This Saturday August 6, as part of the 1st day of Ligue 1, the capital club was even more brilliant on the ground of Clermont, with this crushing 5-0 victory.
► To read also: Football in Europe: five questions for the 2022-2023 season
Sparkling Neymar
With rookie Vitinha in the starting XI (Hugo Ekiike was on the bench, Renato Sanches absent from the group), Pablo Sarabia in attack to replace Kylian Mbappé (injured) and a team in 3-4-3 with Sergio Ramos in particular in defense, PSG was quick to take over at the Gabriel-Montpied stadium. Found by Sarabia and Lionel Messi in the area, Neymar opened the scoring with a quick shot (9th).
The Brazilian then put the Moroccan Achraf Hakimi into orbit, launched in depth and author of the 2-0 goal with a powerful shot in the top corner (26th). And Neymar, again, later kicked a free kick for the victorious header of his compatriot and captain Marquinhos (38th). At the break, mass had already been said.
But the highlight of the show was scheduled for the last ten minutes. Never worried, at ease, PSG managed for a long time before delivering the final blow. It was first Neymar who distinguished himself by giving his third assist of the evening for Leo Messi, in the ideal position to receive the offering and score easily. And above all, there was this magnificent and 100% Argentine action in the 86th minute.
And Messi signed the evening masterpiece
Leandro Paredes, who came into play after the break, sent a ball into the area over the Clermont defense. Messi then displayed all his talent too little seen last season: back to the cage, he controlled the ball with his chest before performing a splendid acrobatic return. His lobed ball left no chance for Mory Diaw, the goalkeeper of Clermont Foot.
Rare event: while the match was taking place away, in Puy-de-Dôme, the Clermont supporters applauded the Argentine genius and even chanted his name. This is to say the aesthetics of this goal, already very commented on social networks and perhaps a harbinger of great things to come from the “Pulga”.
A goal and three assists for Neymar, a double including a masterful goal for Lionel Messi, the first steps of Vitinha and Hugo Ekitiké (entered the game in the 78th), no goal conceded for Gianluigi Donnarumma… That’s what which is called a successful first day in Ligue 1. It is up to this new PSG to confirm over time, especially when the end of winter and the beginning of spring arrive, times that have often been complicated in the capital in recent times. years.