Ligue 1: with a great Barcola, PSG wins against Rennes before Arsenal

Everything has been successful at Paris Saint-Germain since the start of the season. Without showing a flamboyant face, the Parisians have a string of good results and are serious. An ideal alloy to launch a season, and Luis Enrique’s gang intended to continue their momentum this Friday evening at the opening of the sixth day of Ligue 1. Against Stade Rennais, Bradley Barcola’s teammates had to win to maintain their crazy pace against voracious competitors (OM, Monaco) and to best prepare for the match against Arsenal in the Champions League this Tuesday. In this context, the Spanish technician decided to align his typical team. On the other side, Julien Stéphan did the same with his Rennes. However, nothing went as planned for the Bretons who suffered the law of the capital club. Superior, the latter set an imposing pace from the first minutes. Largely dominant, Bradley Barcola’s teammates obtained the first opportunities of the match. While Marquinhos thought he opened the score before being flagged offside (3rd), Ousmane Dembélé played Ousmane Dembélé against his training club. Too powerful in the percussion and extremely fast, the right winger twice came up against his glaring lack of realism (6th, 18th). On his second opportunity, the former Barça man shone for his lack of altruism for Hakimi alone in the area. The Moroccan finally found the bar on the following action and on a serve from Barcola (19th). The solution ultimately came from the player trained at OL. Found by Dembélé on the left, Barcola fixed Ostigard before arming a curling and unstoppable shot (1-0, 30th). Despite a glaring lack of realism, PSG returned to the locker room with a score advantage which reflected the match well.

Returning from the locker room, the residents of the Parc des Princes still had a certain domination in the game. Involved and diligent, Luis Enrique’s men sought to double the lead as quickly as possible. And while Achraf Hakimi saw his goal disallowed for an offside position, PSG was sheltered by Kang-In Lee. Serving Bradley Barcola who saw his powerful shot repelled by Steve Mandanda’s post, the South Korean was on the lookout to score the break goal with a beautiful diving header (2-0, 58th). Not satisfied like Bradley Barcola in the oven and at the mill (61st, 64th), the Parisians continued to accelerate to establish their domination of the match. And facing a defensively porous Rennais, the Parisian plan proved to be a real success thanks to a superb action which led to Barcola’s double. Launched perfectly in depth by Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi stretched his cross towards the far post where the insatiable French neo-international was lurking (3-0, 68th). Heading towards a clear and flawless victory, PSG necessarily rested on its laurels. A drop in speed which benefited Rennes. With Beraldo still naive and at fault with his hand, the Breton club reduced the gap from the penalty spot thanks to Arnaud Kalimuendo, trained in Paris (3-1, 75th). Asphyxiated by the teammates of the twirling entrant Albert Gronbaek, the Parisians were saved several times by a sometimes unacademic Matvey Safonov (77th, 84th). SRFC thought they would have a crazy end to the match but Alidu Seidu’s goal at the end of the match was refused for an irrefutable handball (87th). Despite these fears at the end of the match, PSG left this meeting with the three points of a logical victory. In good shape, the teammates of a great Bradley Barcola regain first place in the standings and are preparing optimally before the clash against Arsenal this Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the Champions League. For its part, Rennes paid for its timid match and logically bowed to a too strong PSG. Stade Rennais remains eighth.