At the brand new Paris Saint-Germain training center, in Poissy (Yvelines), the Premier League match, the English football championship, between Manchester City and Ipswich was to be broadcast on all televisions, Sunday January 19.
The Parisian smiles, obtained thanks to the last-minute victory the day before in Lens (2-1), had to gradually disappear in the face of the Mancunians’ demonstration of force. 1, 2, 3… then finally 6 to 0.
All the offensive leaders of the “Citizens” stood out: the Belgian Kevin De Bruyne delivered three assists, the Norwegian Erling Haaland scored, just like the Englishman Phil Foden and the Belgian Jérémy Doku.
This meeting was the last chance for the Parisian staff to obtain information on the tactics, the game plan that the coach, Pep Guardiola, will put in place at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday January 22, for a decisive meeting in the Champions League , both for PSG and for “City”.
And the least we can say is that this match was rich in lessons from every point of view. Already, Pep Guardiola has not spared his players and has decided to line up against Ipswich the team which should start against the Parisians. PSG defenders are therefore warned: they will have a hard time facing the offensive quartet Haaland – De Bruyne – Doku – Foden, all very prominent against Ipswich.
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For several matches, defensive serenity also seems to have returned to the Mancunian ranks, after a failed start to the season. Ousmane Dembélé or even Bradley Barcola will have to be very creative to deceive the vigilance of the great Manchester City defenders, never overwhelmed against the Ipswich attackers.
Two opposing styles of play
The matches between Paris and the “Sky Blue” this weekend in their respective championships also provided some clues about the nature of the match which awaits the supporters of the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
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As against Lens, the Parisians should leave possession of the ball to the visitors to proceed on the counterattack and thus rely on the speed of their offensive elements. This is also how Bradley Barcola gave his team victory the day before.
For its part, Manchester City should rather settle into the PSG camp to impose its rhythm, and try to find the fault thanks to small shifts in the area. Will this work as well against PSG as against Ipswich? It’s up to Luis Enrique, his staff, and his players to prepare as best as possible for this crucial meeting for the future of Paris Saint-Germain.
Kylian Mbappé confirms his good form by scoring a double
The complicated start to the season experienced by Kylian Mbappé in Spain now seems far away. The French striker scored twice against Las Palmas, including a sublime goal with a touch of the ball on the edge of the area. The Real Madrid player could even have scored a hat-trick, but an offside of a few millimeters deprived him of it. This is the third match in a row where Kylian Mbappé has managed to find the net. No other French international took part in this victory (4-1); Ferland Mendy was on the bench, Aurélien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga were injured. Kylian Mbappé will try to continue in three days, this time in the Champions League, against Red Bull Salzburg.
