Luis Enrique’s players climb into the Top 24 thanks to their success in Austria, this Tuesday, during the sixth day of C1.
Paris did the job. In difficulty in the Champions League, Luis Enrique’s players were due to win against Red Bull Salzburg this Tuesday, during the sixth day. They did it. 3-0 victory in Austria, with goals from Ramos, Mendes and Doué, who had not yet scored with Paris. The Parisians climb to 24th place in the standings before facing City and Stuttgart.
Ramos breaks free
With Donnarumma, Ruiz and Lee starting at kick-off, without Zaire Emery and Lucas Hernandez replacing, PSG started the match without denying its playing principles, monopolizing the ball against the very timid Austrians. Quickly, the balance of power resembled that experienced by the capital club in Auxerre (0-0) last Friday in Ligue 1. Almost an attack-defense. The essential thing remained to achieve: score a goal. Hakimi, still active, lit the first fuse 25 meters away, pushed back by the opposing goalkeeper Schlager onto the head of Ramos, who also did not deceive the last Austrian rampart (10th). The latter saw Lee’s shot graze the top corner (13th) before being called upon from a distance by Vitinha (14th) then Ruiz (16th). Restless, Barcola undermined his opponent in Capaldo without being able to find Ramos (17th), who then missed the inevitable on a royal service from Hakimi from six meters (24th).
The old demons of Parisian inefficiency inevitably resurfaced, especially as Salzburg had just emerged from its torpor with a shot (off target) from Nene on the counter-attack (23rd). But by insisting, Luis Enrique’s men (finally) found the opening. Almost a copy and paste of the first action wasted by Ramos, Barcola alerted Hakimi at the far post whose delivery, with a header, was enhanced by the goal of… Ramos, as a surface fox (0-1, 30th). The hardest part was done. Barcola, strong but clumsy, even let the break slip away with an ill-adjusted dive in front of Schlager (38th). Paris was logically leading at the break, its goalkeeper Donnarumma being relegated to technical unemployment.
Hakimi and Mendes at the forefront
Returning from the locker room, same scenario, Paris held the ball and the young people from Salzburg (22 years old on average) were running behind. The only problem on the Parisian side, and this was starting to frustrate Luis Enrique on his bench, was that we were no longer shooting on goal. Overwhelmed, finally caught in two by his direct opponents, Barcola made a series of bad choices in the last gesture, just like Neves when hitting from six meters (59th). The minutes ticked by, a purring PSG remained at the mercy of a twist of fate, already experienced earlier in the season against PSV Eindhoven (1-1) or Atlético Madrid (1-2). It was therefore necessary to take shelter, a cliché in high-level football. But well learned by Nuno Mendes who was responsible for wrapping up the matter with a sudden shot at the near post on a cross from Doué (0-2, 71st), who came into play earlier in place of Ramos. Seeing the joy on the Parisian bench, players and staff were freed from a weight. And the icing on the cake, the joker Doué validated his very good entry with a neat goal at the end of a school action led by the tireless Hakimi (0-3, 85th), more of a right winger than a full-back at the Red Bull Arena.
0-3 final score. Under pressure, PSG ensures the essential, the three points, on the pitch of a weak Austrian team whose European campaign is turning into a nightmare (five defeats in six games, 18 goals conceded). On January 22, at the Parc des Princes, the bill will be much tougher against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. A decisive poster once again for the future in C1 of the Rouge et Bleu.
