PSG Player Ratings vs OGC Nice: 3/10 Messi dismal once again; 7/10 Verratti the only positive

Lionel Messi’s struggles continued as his poor performance led to Paris Saint-Germain’s shock exit from Coupe de France.

OGC Nice eliminated Paris Saint-Germain from the Coupe de France by securing a narrow victory in the penalty shootout. The Round of 16 clash at Parc des Princes saw the two sides draw goalless at full-time, as they both struggled to take full advantage of their goalscoring opportunities in the final third.

The hosts, PSG, were particularly wasteful as they failed to properly test Marcin Bulka in goal despite dominating possession. Credit should be given to the rigid Nice defence that allowed very little freedom to the attackers, including Lionel Messi.

PSG themselves lacked firepower in the offensive department as Neymar, Angel Di Maria, Georginio Wijnaldum, and the explosive full-back Achraf Hakimi were all missing out. Kylian Mbappe was not given a start either, leading to a lack of chance creation in the final third. Nice were not particularly impressive in the offensive department either, failing to conjure up too many opportunities going forward.

Nevertheless, the game heading into penalties proved to be a massive boost for them. They were close to sealing the shootout early when Bulka saved an effort from Leandro Paredes, but Andy Delort could not convert the subsequent shot.

In the end, though, Bulka saved the day yet again by keeping out the young Xavi Simons to advance to the quarterfinals of Coupe de France. Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over the PSG players in their disappointing defeat to Nice on Monday.

Gianluigi Donnarumma: 6.5/10

Gianluigi Donnarumma had to remain alert as OGC Nice posed a threat on the counter. He did notably make a couple of standard saves to retain his clean sheet. One would have expected a bit better from the Italian during the penalty shootout as he could only keep out Delort, among the six efforts from Nice players.

Colin Dagba: 5/10

Filling in for Achraf Hakimi at right-back, Colin Dagba failed to produce anything meaningful going forward. Defensively, he struggled to keep up with the dribbling of Justin Kluivert, allowing Nice to pose a danger on the counter. Fortunately for Mauricio Pochettion, Hakimi should be back for the next game, following Morocco’s elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Thilo Kehrer: 6.5/10

Thilo Kehrer was given a rare start at centre-back in the absence of both Marquinhos and Sergio Ramos. The German did not look particularly troubled in dealing with the threat of Amine Gouiri. In fact, he produced a decent enough defensive play, helping PSG keep a clean sheet.

Presnel Kimpembe: 6.5/10

With Marquinhos and Ramos out, Presnel Kimpembe was the defensive leader for PSG. He did not disappoint either, doing well to keep Kasper Dolberg at bay. His aggression, coupled with his fighting spirit, was vital in helping PSG remain resolute in defence and allow minimum freedom for the opposition.

Nuno Mendes: 6/10

Nuno Mendes was roughed up by the speed of Nice attackers early on in the proceedings. However, the young left-back recovered well and looked much better defensively, though his offensive contributions were far from impressive as he struggled to create anything meaningful going forward.

Danilo Pereira: 6/10

Danilo Pereira operated as the defensive midfielder in PSG’s three-man setup. He played a part in helping his team recover possession. He is one of few players in the team who can be excused for his lack of attacking contributions.

Marco Verratti: 7/10

Marco Verratti was the spine of the PSG midfield. His skill on the ball, coupled with his technical prowess and ability to move forward, caused a menace for the Nice defence. The Italian should have done a bit better with his finishing, but he was by far the most industrious player for the home side.

Ander Herrera: 4/10

Ander Herrera did not exactly do a great job in midfield other than offering occasional forward balls. The former Manchester United star lacked creativity, which led to his substitution at half-time.

Lionel Messi: 3/10

Wearing the number ten shirt for the first time at PSG, it was yet another disappointing display from Lionel Messi. The Argentine could not produce anything meaningful in the attacking third, lacking the incision and drive. Messi did create a few chances, but overall, it was an underwhelming effort that ultimately led to PSG’s demise from the cup.

Mauro Icardi: 2/10

Mauro Icardi failed to offer any real quality in the final third. He was anonymous for a large part of the proceedings, and Pochettino will be ruing the decision to not offload him in the January transfer window.

Julian Draxler: 4/10

Julian Draxler was given a rare start after he recovered from a long injury layoff. It was refreshing to see the German trying to offer creativity on the far side. Unfortunately, he was not quite successful as the Nice backline remained resolute throughout the ninety minutes.

SUBSTITUTES

Leandro Paredes: 4/10

Leandro Paredes offered more aggression in the PSG midfield, but it was the creativity that was lacking. He later failed to convert his spot-kick in the shootout.

Kylian Mbappe: 5/10

Kylian Mbappe was introduced around the hour mark to change the complexion of the game. The Frenchman was not too successful, as he scuffed one of his shots wide while struggling to create much in the final third.

Xavi Simons: N/A

A late replacement for Dagba. It was his miss that led to PSG’s defeat, though the youngster can be excused, given his lack of experience. He did not play enough to warrant a rating.

Juan Bernat: N/A

A late replacement for Mendes. Converted his spot-kick well but did not play enough to warrant a rating.