Too feverish in defense and almost non-existent in attack, Paris Saint-Germain conceded a clear defeat against Arsenal (2-0) this Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium during the second day of the Champions League.
Difficult winner of Girona (1-0) for its first European match of the season, PSG failed to do it again this Tuesday against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. After a very average match both defensively and offensively, Luis Enrique’s group gave in against the diligent and efficient Gunners if not brilliant (2-0). For the first time this season, in all competitions, the Ile-de-France club lost. Problem, it happened for his first big shock.
>> Relive the Arsenal-PSG duel (2-0) in the Champions League
Donnaruma doubly at fault
Left alone by Willian Pacho and found on a superb cross from Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz first beat Gianluigi Donnarumma’s aerial exit to score with a header and definitively start the evening for the Gunners (1-0, 20th). Back from injury and preferred to Matvey Safonov for this match in C1, “Gigio” Donnarumma did not really justify his number 1 status on this one.
No more than on Buyako Saka’s free kick shortly after the half-hour mark. We knew Arsenal were brilliant at set pieces but that was not enough to prevent them from scoring.
Surprised by the Englishman’s shot, hit by… no one, Gianluigi Donnarumma made another hole and the Londoners quietly made the break (2-0, 35th). The only bright spot in his evening was the great save on Gabriel Martinelli’s powerful recovery after returning from the locker room.
A transparent offensive trio
With a tough goalkeeper and a defense far from imperial, PSG had to have a fiery attack to keep up with the Gunners. But that wasn’t really the case this Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium. In the absence of Ousmane Dembélé, dismissed by Luis Enrique, and Randal Kolo Muani whom the Spanish technician chose to leave on the bench, Paris struggled to shine offensively.
It finally took a breakthrough from Nuno Mendes concluded with a Nice long shot, just wide, to signal the start of a revolt (1-0, 28th). Failing to see the challenge Désiré Doué or Lee Kang-In shine, Achraf Hakimi also tried in a closed angle after a nice tumble down the right lane (1-0, 31st). But Luis Enrique’s tactical (or disciplinary) choices were felt and not in the best way this Tuesday in the Champions League.
Propelled as the captain of the offensive trident in the absence of the usual starters, Bradley Barcola did not exist and was barely used during this continental performance. A terrible statistic confirms this poor evening for PSG: the Ile-de-France club no longer had a shot on goal after Achraf Hakimi’s strike in the first period until a header on the bar by Joao Neves from a corner (2-0, 66th ).
Paris complicates its task in the ranking
Fortunately, Arsenal showed almost nothing after the break and did not add to the score either. Paris Saint-Germain had shown a good face on a collective level since the start of the season. But this Tuesday, this Ile-de-France block embedded itself in the Gunners’ wall for what constituted its first real test of the season.
In a fairly rhythmic match but ultimately quite poor in clear chances, Warren Zaire-Emery’s partners fell to a good Arsenal team. Be careful not to repeat such a performance this Sunday in Ligue 1 during the trip to Nice and especially during the next day of the Champions League, October 22 against PSV at the Parc des Princes.
With still three points, PSG will still have to wait before climbing the standings in this phase of the championship and is content with provisional 18th place. The top 8 is therefore still far away. With its non-match against Arsenal this Tuesday at the Emirates, the Ile-de-France club burned a joker.
Jean-Guy Lebreton Journalist RMC Sport
