Paris Saint-Germain won against AS Monaco this Friday evening for the 13th day of Ligue 1 (5-2). The reigning champion consolidates his first place before the return of the Champions League next week.
It’s a pretty dizzying end to autumn that Paris Saint-Germain is preparing to face, and not just because of the freezing temperatures. The capital club had the good idea to take control of the championship before this international break.
It was necessary, because the menu that is arriving will not leave him any margin. While Warren Zaire-Emery and Marquinhos joined an already well-stocked infirmary, it was Monaco, third and direct competitor in the title race, who arrived at the Park without hesitation this Friday.
Beyond injuries and the quality of the opponent, timing was another obstacle to integrate for Luis Enrique. The meetings preceding a Champions League match always seem like traps. Resumption of competition on Friday could be seen as a godsend since this date offers an additional day of recovery for the extremely important match against Newcastle on Tuesday, but in fact, the risk was just as high for a majority of players who were not sleeping or little, in the four corners of the world, 72 hours earlier.
It is therefore in this strange context that Paris challenged a feared AS Monaco. Deprived of two essential executives, Luis Enrique had two options on the table: propose an eleven which is similar to his typical team to repeat the ranges and circuits before Newcastle, or carry out a rotation to avoid further damage before this deadline capital city. The Spanish technician opted for the first, with the tenure of Fabian Ruiz and Nordi Mukiele as tests before their time.
Finally a great advertisement for Ligue 1
Despite the Monegasques’ striking force, the Parisians did not deviate from their usual approach, with a desire to hold the ball in significant proportions and impose high and aggressive pressing. A plan which bore fruit since Paris unblocked the situation shortly after a quarter of an hour of play. After several hot situations for a very leggy Mbappé, Gonçalo Ramos found the opening on a fox goal from the surfaces by resuming a ball released by Köln on a first strike from Dembélé (1-0, 19th).
Always restless, the French winger did a lot of good things. It was he, again, who was at the origin of the second Parisian goal by causing a penalty which Mbappé transformed with authority (2-1, 39th). But the Monegasques were not left out. Like his counterpart at the other end of the meadow, Gigio Donnarumma went through all the states, as brilliant on his line as frustrating in an unexpected situation. Shortly after the opening score, the Italian recalled his weaknesses in the kicking game by offering an early Christmas present to Minamino, who was not asking for so much (1-1, 22nd). Funny scenario for this pleasant or open match, which looked like a great showcase for Ligue 1, finally. In these times, we won’t complain about it.
Especially since the pace did not drop in the second act. On the contrary, the match heated up further as the lines stretched. Ousmane Dembélé was rewarded for his activity by unlocking his league counter with a superb action concluded with a strike into the opposite corner (3-1, 70th), two minutes before another gem from Vitinha, with a licked shot into the top corner (4-1, 72nd). Monaco had the merit of believing in it after the reduction of Balogun’s score (4-2, 76th), but the matter was settled, especially as the incoming Kolo Muani added to the bill at the end of the stoppages. game (5-2, 90th+6). Paris is capitalizing before the major winter passes.
