PSG seduces against FC Nantes (4-0) with a double from Neymar, and wins its first trophy of the season

Christophe Galtier’s new PSG is already well armed. The reigning French champions won the Trophée des Champions on Sunday in Tel Aviv, beating Nantes (4-0). The attacking talent spoke: Lionel Messi opened the scoring (22nd), Neymar offered himself a double from a free kick then from a penalty (45th + 4 and 82nd), Ramos also scored in a heel (57th). After failing in front of Lille last year (1-0), the Parisians won their 11th title at the start of the season.

Immediately in control of the ball in their 3-4-1-2 and restless in the camp of cautious opponents, the Parisians quickly obtained several clear chances in the wake of a Messi very comfortable in his role as playmaker. After an offensive initiated by Neymar and “La Pulga”, the bleeding Achraf Hakimi came up against Alban Lafont (5th). Aligned in attack due to the suspension of Kylian Mbappé, Pablo Sarabia then placed a volley in the race slightly above the target (7th) and Marquinhos sent a header on the crossbar after a corner (14th).

Messi and Neymar at full throttle

After a first quarter of an hour ultra-dominated by PSG, Nantes finally got out of their camp and Moses Simon signed a first good recovery from just outside the frame (18th). Ludovic Blas, he fired a superb shot from 20 meters full axis that Gigio Donnarumma had to deflect by diving towards his right corner (19th). A turning point in this first period because PSG calmed the game and found the fault thanks to Messi, launched in the axis successfully by Neymar before going to play Lafont (1-0, 22nd).

In the heat of Bloomfield Stadium, Galtier’s men were then able to develop their attacking game in full confidence with sharp pistons and an impeccable Marco Verratti – Vitinha duo in midfield. Lafont won a duel in front of Messi (44th) but could not do anything on Neymar’s superb free kick after a foul from Moussa Sissoko, who was not authoritative enough in the midfield (2-0, 45th + 4).

Paris has never loosened the embrace

Not really radiant either against the restless Simon, Ramos however knew how to make his technical quality speak in front of the opposing goal in a balanced start to the second act. The Spaniard released an inspired heel in the six meters against Nicolas Pallois after a corner badly repelled by the defense of the Canaries (3-0, 57th). Antoine Kombouaré launched his Egyptian rookie Mostafa Mohamed to try to reverse the trend (64th). His men who had beaten the Parisians in the league in February (3-1) however failed to revive the suspense.

They rather exposed themselves by leaving spaces behind their backs and Jean-Charles Castelletto conceded a penalty for having retained Neymar in his area and logically was expelled (81st). The Brazilian had failed in this exercise last winter, he did not miss this time (4-0, 82nd).

While the new kid Nordi Mukiele was able to make his debut with PSG (79th), Messi forced Lafont to capture his lob in the race (88th). Donnarumma, for his part, hijacked a final attempt by Simon to keep his clean sheet (90th + 2). At dawn in August, Paris sends a first message. Its stars are in good shape and its collective is looking in the same direction for a promising new season.