Kylian Mbappe and Neymar bagged hat-tricks as Paris Saint-Germain secured a thumping 6-1 win over Clermont Foot on Saturday.
Paris Saint-Germain ended their run of four successive away defeats in all competitions by registering a thumping 6-1 win over Clermont Foot on Saturday. It was an emphatic result that helped the league leaders extend their advantage over Marseille to 15 points, albeit temporarily.
Coming on the back of a massive win over Lorient, PSG looked destructive once again, with the front three of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar wreaking havoc in the final third. They looked vicious in the attack and combined well to create a plethora of chances during the early stages of the game.
PSG’s early dominance helped them secure a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes, thanks to goals from Neymar and Mbappe. Clermont Foot, though, deserve credit for doubling up on their defence and minimising PSG’s dominance in the proceedings. Their resilience paid off as well, with Jodel Dossou pulling one back just before half-time.
Clermont Foot were relatively solid for the most part until they conceded a penalty in the 69th minute. Neymar made no mistake in converting the spot-kick to make it 3-1. PSG managed to score three more goals within the next twelve minutes, with Neymar and Mbappe both registering hat-tricks while Messi was able to muster a hat-trick of assists.
Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over the PSG side in their emphatic win over Clermont Foot this weekend.
Gianluigi Donnarumma: 7/10
It was a much-improved display from Gianluigi Donnarumma. He looked assured in between the sticks and was always alert to any kind of danger from the Clermont frontline. The Italian notably made an excellent second-half save to deny Jason Berthomier, but he could not have done much to save Dossou’s effort.
THIS. TEAM. ??? #WeAreParis pic.twitter.com/CKUkBT0vSS
— Gianluigi Donnarumma (@gigiodonna1) April 9, 2022
Achraf Hakimi: 8/10
Achraf Hakimi had an excellent game on the right flank. He got forward at every opportunity, making both Saif-Eddine Khaoui and Arial Mendy look incompetent. His pace and ability to drive forward with the ball helped PSG exert their dominance on the proceedings.
Sergio Ramos: 6.5/10
Sergio Ramos made his return to the starting lineup after yet another unfortunate spell on the sidelines. He was not at his usual best, though, looking unassured in possession, while his lack of positional awareness might have been exploited by a better attacking team.
Presnel Kimpembe: 7/10
Presnel Kimpembe was a vital cog in the PSG backline, especially with Ramos not performing at his usual best. The Frenchman was strong and dominant in duels and made few errors defensively, helping PSG keep things quiet for the most part. Got caught off-guard in the build-up to the Dossou goal, though.
Nuno Mendes: 7.5/10
It was yet another impressive display from Nuno Mendes at left-back. He utilised width very well to make a host of forays down the flanks while offering creative support in the final third. His link-up play with the midfielders was impressive as well, though the youngster may have to improve on his crossing accuracy.
Nuno Mendes is the most exciting signing from last summer. There were other good ones too, but he is the most exciting.
— PSG Fan Club Helsinki (@PSGHelsinki) April 9, 2022
Danilo Pereira: 7/10
Danilo Pereira had a quiet game in the middle of the park. He did not commit any defensive errors while doing a good job of retaining possession and distributing the ball. That said, he was perhaps not the best fit for a game like this.
Idrissa Gueye: 6.5/10
Idrissa Gueye lost track of Dossou on the Clermont counter-attack, effectively allowing the attacker to pull one back for the opposition just before the half-time whistle. Aside from that, the midfielder distributed possession quite well, but there was nothing remarkable about his performance on the night.
Marco Verratti: 7.5/10
Marco Verratti was by far the most impressive PSG midfielder on the night. He looked sleek in possession, as ever, offering the transition from midfield to attack. He was impressive in winning the ball back as well, thus capping off an all-round display that helped PSG dominate the proceedings.
Lionel Messi: 9/10
Lionel Messi was at his creative best on the night. He was the creator-in-chief for PSG which made life extremely difficult for the Clermont defence. The Argentine notably bagged three assists, while getting close to scoring himself. His link-up play with Mbappe and Neymar is looking seemingly impressive, and the trio could take on Europe next season if Mbappe remains at PSG in the summer.
NEYMAR HATRICK.
MBAPPÉ HAT TRICK.
MESSI HAT TRICK OF ASSISTS.
— B/R Football (@brfootball) April 9, 2022
Kylian Mbappe: 10/10
Kylian Mbappe was simply the best performer on the pitch. He worked hard for his team, showcasing his pace, aggression and productivity to score a hat-trick while unselfishly registering an assist for Neymar’s third goal. The Frenchman even won the penalty for Neymar, so he was technically involved in five of the six goals scored by PSG on the night. One of the best players in the world.
Neymar: 10/10
Neymar looked in exceptional touch against Clermont Foot. His passes were coming off while the Brazilian looked unstoppable when linking up with Messi and Mbappe. PSG will be hoping that the former Barcelona superstar can continue his form throughout the remainder of the campaign as they look to reclaim the Ligue 1 title.
Neymar and Mbappé both clearly really liked this picture of themselves and Messi ❤️ Loved this trio today. pic.twitter.com/9SQMtlpwaI
— J. (@Messilizer) April 9, 2022
SUBSTITUTES
Georginio Wijnaldum: 6/10
Georginio Wijnaldum came on for Gueye around the hour mark. He did not do much to change the dynamics of the game, but he did put in a hard-working shift in the middle of the park.
Thilo Kehrer: N/A
A late replacement for Kimpembe. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Edouard Michut: N/A
A late replacement for Verratti. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Dina Ebimbe: N/A
A late replacement for Hakimi. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Juan Bernat: N/A
A late replacement for Mendes. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
