PSG handed a humbling 3-0 defeat Bayern Munich, whose problems seem to be deepening, on Wednesday at Parc Des Princes.
The astronomical amount of money Paris Saint-Germain paid over the summer appears to be paying dividends. The home side picked up right where they left off in the Champions League, this time with a 3-0 victory over German champions Bayern Munich.
Be it attack or defence, PSG excelled in every aspect of the game on Wednesday. Players like Dani Alves, Edinson Cavani and Neymar found the net, with the young Kylian Mbappe chipping in with two assists. The French giants now sit atop Group B with a maximum points after two games.
Bayern simply proved to be no match for PSG, which did fill the visiting fans with frustration. Although the Bavarians created plenty of chances, and even seemed dangerous at times, they failed to find the back of the net.
The German club’s attackers failed to score any while the defenders made it too easy for PSG to net goals. The Hard Tackle runs the rule over Unai Emery’s men after a resounding performance.
Alphonse Areola – 8/10
Although many expected Kevin Trapp to man the goal, Areola proved to be brilliant instead. His work-rate was fantastic and it is certainly not easy to restrict the likes of Lewandowski.
The Frenchman walked off a happy man knowing that he managed to record a clean sheet against Bayern. He made a total of six saves, including one off Kingsley Coman in the second half.
Dani Alves – 9/10
Alves was sublime on the field on Wednesday. He made four tackles, which is more than any PSG player. He kept moving around, and the best example of that is when he ghosted into the penalty area unmarked to score the opening goal in the first two minutes. Alves also made a crucial pass in the build-up which led to Cavani’s goal.
Marquinhos – 7/10
Marquinhos was quite strong defensively all through the night. The Brazilian dominated the aerial duels, winning five of them in all. Immensely solid at the heart of the PSG defence alongside Thiago Silva, he left the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller scraping for chances.
Thiago Silva – 7.5/10
An influential performance by Silva as he denied every attempted cross or pass from the opposition that even came close to the 18-yard box in the first half. Come second half, the PSG captain continued his form and even managed to clear a goal-bound header from Javi Martinez.
Layvin Kurzawa – 6/10
Kurzawa was probably the quietest PSG player on the field. He did not take risks of any sort and seemed to be intent on playing a safe game, more than anything else. However, the player was hardly tested by Thomas Muller’s presence on the flank.
Thiago Motta – 7/10
Motta displayed a mature sense of efficiency as he judiciously distributed the ball. He was light and effective for the home side as he completed a whopping 93% of his passes. His work helped keep PSG up and running until the final minutes wherein he was substituted by Giovani Lo Celso.
Marco Verratti – 7.5/10
Verratti was chased by a lot of big clubs in the summer but he chose to stay back with PSG, and the French club should be thankful for the same. He was quite adept at reading the game and wasn’t hesitant to do the dirty work. The Italian made two tackles and two clearances, while establishing a strong dominion over the midfield.
Adrien Rabiot – 7/10
Rabiot is known for being extremely industrious and he was just that against Bayern. The Frenchman was often marking the opposition or tracking runs down the channels. Not only did he manage to help dominate the midfield, Rabiot also made some blocks to provide support for the back four.
Kylian Mbappe – 8.5/10
Mbappe was a menace for the Bayern defensive unit on the night. That was evident for all to see as he disrupted their defensive shape for the opening goal by luring Niklas Sule out of position. He was prolific when PSG were indulging in counter-attacks and also yielded two important assists.
Edinson Cavani – 8/10
On a night when PSG brutalized Bayern with their blistering attack, Cavani had to play an important role. He made no mistake when provided with a superb assist as he curled his effort straight into the goal. Although his next effort was denied by Ulreich, Cavani was still an influential part of the front line.
Neymar – 8.5/10
After a lot of drama surrounding the infamous penalty incident with Cavani, Neymar seems to have bury the hatchet as he linked up beautifully with Cavani. His dribbles were crucial as he blazed past the Bayern defenders.
The Brazilian was sharp throughout the game and put up a strong display, capping off his performance with a well deserved goal.
SUBS
Angel Di Maria – N/A
Came in at the 79th minute in place of Mbappe and had very little to do.
Giovani Lo Celso – N/A
Celso played for hardly four minutes at the end.
Julian Draxler – N/A
Came in at the 89th minute and barely got his feet on the ball due to the lack of time.
