Paris Saint-Germain Player Ratings vs AS Monaco: 8/10 for MOTM Mbappe; Four players get 7.5

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring their third goal during the French L1 football match between Nimes and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), on September 1, 2018 at the Costieres stadium in Nimes, southern France. (Photo by Pascal GUYOT / AFP) (Photo credit should read PASCAL GUYOT/AFP/Getty Images)

Kylian Mbappe stars yet again as Paris Saint-Germain secure the Coupe de France trophy with a 2-0 win over AS Monaco on Wednesday.

Mauricio Pochettino secures his second trophy with Paris Saint-Germain with a 2-0 win over AS Roma in the Coupe de France final on Wednesday.

It was a hard-working display from the defending Ligue 1 champions, who had difficulties dominating an inspired Monaco side that enjoyed a lot of possession and were always posing danger in front of goal. PSG, though, got very lucky when Axel Disasi’s poor touch allowed Mauro Icardi to find the opener against the run of play, as Pochettino’s men managed to attain a 1-0 lead at half-time.

Monaco dominated even more possession after the restart, subduing PSG in the process. Les Monegasques, however, never really managed to find that breakthrough goal despite numerous raids around the opposition third as well as working Keylor Navas out on a few occasions.

Niko Kovac’s men eventually grew frustrated – sacrificing more men forward and allowing PSG to create more chances in the final third. At the end, it was Kylian Mbappe who managed to score the all-important second goal to seal the win, helping his team secure their 14th Coupe de France title.

Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over the Paris Saint-Germain players in their triumph over AS Monaco in the Cup final this midweek.

Keylor Navas: 7.5/10

Keylor Navas had a busy evening in between the sticks. He had to remain alert throughout the course of the game, notably acting as a sweeper on one occasion in the first half. The PSG goalkeeper also made a couple of important saves to prevent Monaco from getting back into the game and overall played a huge role in helping his side lift the trophy.

Alessandro Florenzi: 6.5/10

Alessandro Florenzi didn’t have the best of games at right-back. The on-loan Roma star mostly had to defend as Monaco dominated the game. It played a key role in restricting his offensive game, with the player offering very little going forward. Although Florenzi didn’t make any particular defensive error, he was eventually subbed off midway through the second half.

Marquinhos: 7.5/10

After a topsy-turvy start to the game, Marquinhos once again showed why he is regarded as one of the best defenders in European football. The PSG captain was simply a rock at the back, making a host of importance clearances while using his game-reading abilities to neutralise potential threats. Marshaled the backline well, with his leadership and was a threat from set-pieces, as usual.

Thilo Kehrer: 7/10

Filling in for the suspended Presnel Kimpembe, Thilo Kehrer had a decent outing at centre-back, alongside Marquinhos. Despite being omitted from Germany’s squad for the Euros, the former Schalke defender looked confident – offering good support to his captain at the heart of the four-man backline.

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Abdou Diallo: 7/10

Abdou Diallo was given the nod at left-back ahead of Mitchell Bakker for his defensive qualities. The move paid off well for Pochettino as the former Dortmund man dealt against the threat of Ruben Aguilar and later Gelson Martins. There was certainly an improvement in Diallo’s performance, and he was disciplined enough to help his team see through the slender lead.

Leandro Paredes: 7/10

Leandro Paredes largely had a quiet game, apart from some aggressive tackles. He was the proverbial “bad guy” in PSG’s second line of press. It is perhaps fair to say that the midfielder did his job well, keeping the opposing ball-carriers pressurised while also showcasing a good discipline about his game.

Danilo Pereira: 7.5/10

Danilo Pereira played a vital role at the heart of PSG’s second line of press. He operated in the deepest midfield role, screening the backline as well as appearing as a rock at the heart of the midfield. His presence did indeed make things difficult for the opposition to slice PSG through the middle, forcing them to look out to wide areas for creativity.

Idrissa Gueye: 6.5/10

Idrissa Gueye was given the most freedom in the three-man midfield by Pochettino, due to his technical quality. The former Evertonian, though, could not drive the ball forward much, due to Monaco’s pressure and the fear of being dispossessed in a key area in a cup final. Gueye, as a result, had a relatively quiet game, though his passing was still impressive.

Angel Di Maria: 7.5/10

Angel Di Maria was not involved in the game due to Monaco’s superiority over the proceedings. However, the Argentine showcased an incredible defensive work ethic to track back and help out his teammates when Monaco had the ball.

Di Maria was later rewarded for his efforts, as spaces started to open up when Les Monegasques poured men forward during the final stretch of the game. The winger made full use of the opportunity to run at the defence, and craft the late opportunity for Mbappe, for PSG’s second goal.

Mauro Icardi: 7/10

Mauro Icardi wasn’t involved much in the game either due to PSG not having much possession. His back-to-goal game, though, was certainly impressive, as the forward allowed his teammates to get into good positions in the final third by holding the ball up whenever he got the opportunity. The former Inter Milan star also netted the opener by capitalising on Mbappe’s pass.

Kylian Mbappe: 8/10

Kylian Mbappe timely stepped up to the plate in the absence of Neymar. Although the Frenchman didn’t enjoy much possession, he looked unplayable when he did, easily wriggling through tight spaces to create scoring opportunities for his side. His pace and trickery did indeed cause all sorts of problems for the Monaco defence.

The PSG superstar was alert, as well, as capitalising on Disasi’s error to assist Icardi’s opener before netting the second goal himself during the final stage of the game. A world-class attacking display from Mbappe.

Substitutes

Colin Dagba: 6.5/10

Colin Dagba replaced Florenzi midway through the second half, as his defensive-oriented nature was better suited to the game than the Italian’s compulsion to go forward and attack every other minute.

Ander Herrera: 6/10

Ander Herrera offered fresh legs in midfield after replacing Paredes during the final phase of the game. Nothing extraordinary, but disciplined enough to help his side see through their slender lead.

Moise Kean: 6.5/10

Moise Kean was very lively after coming on for Icardi, holing the ball up well as well as offering a lot of dynamism in the final third. It was a welcome boost for the PSG attack as they eventually scored in the 81st minute.

Pablo Sarabia: N/A

A late replacement for the tiring Di Maria. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.

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