This year, Paris Saint-Germain is subscribed to suspense match endings. And to the exploits of Kylian Mbappé. The Blues striker once again made the difference in the last moments of the match to seek victory against Real Madrid (1-0), Tuesday, February 15, in the round of 16 first leg of the C1. Along with Nuno Mendes and Marco Verratti, he was PSG’s key player against Madrid.
Gianluigi Donnarumma: 5.5/10
Unlike Thibaut Courtois, author of eight saves in this match, Gianluigi Donnarumma had nothing to do with his evening. The Italian goalkeeper witnessed from his cages the domination of his teammates. He was not worried by Casemiro’s header just before the break (45th + 1). While the Parisian staff hesitated between him and Keylor Navas, Donnarumma did not have the opportunity to prove his superiority over the Costa Rican in this match.
Ashraf Hakimi: 6.5/10
Like his counterpart Nuno Mendes on the left side, Achraf Hakimi was present offensively in the first period. Much less in the second act. But the main thing is elsewhere: the Moroccan right side has completely extinguished Vinicius, Real Madrid’s strongman in attack with Karim Benzema. His surges down the right side missed in the second period.
Marquinhos: 6/10
The PSG captain didn’t have much to do in this match, but he did it well. Solid in the duels, precious in the cover, the Brazilian notably took out a ball from the head while Karim Benzema prowled behind his back, alone at the penalty spot (67th). He was finally caught only once, with his friend Presnel Kimpembe, on an action where Benzema sucked up the two central defenders of PSG. No particular damage.
Presnel Kimpembe: 6/10
In the absence of Sergio Ramos, Mauricio Pochettino did not have to make a choice and the tenure of Presnel Kimpembe was obvious. Like Marquinhos, Kimpembe wasn’t challenged by a half-hearted Real Madrid attack. He was content to manage the depth in the face of the calls in the back of the Parisian defense, and the timid thrusts of Real in the last minutes of the match. He finished the game warned (84th) after a collision with Rodrygo.
Nuno Mendes: 7/10
His best match in the Champions League in the Parisian jersey. Nuno Mendes had a high-flying first period, before dropping in volume after the break. We knew he was very good at the front – he delivered good balls in the Madrid area – but he really convinced defensively on Tuesday evening. Marco Asensio has constantly come up against the Portuguese side, who is asserting himself more and more despite his young age (19 years old).
Leandro Paredès: 5/10
He is the one who touched the most balls in this match (113), but most of them were played laterally or behind. The Argentinian midfielder, established while Idrissa Gueye and Georginio Wijnaldum were lacking in rhythm, was not sharp enough in his passes. Paredes took more risks in his transmissions at the start of the second period, but he made a copy that was far too neutral. Warned for a foul on Toni Kroos (90th).
Danilo Pereira: 6.5/10
A training midfielder, Danilo has evolved into a central defender role, to the right of Marquinhos to cover the rises of Hakimi. The Portuguese was very convincing, notably covering the depth in order to block Vinicius’ calls. Good in anticipation, Danilo had a very clean match, slightly tarnished by a yellow card taken for a foul on Vinicius (62nd). Was replaced by Idrissa Gueye (87th).
Marco Veratti: 7/10
If PSG stifled Real so much for much of the game, it was thanks to the impetus given by Marco Verratti to the pressing. The Italian midfielder, already immense against Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in September, was once again good on Tuesday. He projected himself more than once into the opposing area, without finding a solution in the last third. And as usual, he was warned (40th), for a foul on Casemiro.
Angel Di Maria: 4/10
The weak link on the Parisian side. The Argentinian never knew how to find the right tempo and lacked precision throughout the meeting. Angel Di Maria spoiled a very good service from Kylian Mbappé in the area (5th) and constantly slowed down the Parisian game. He came out in the rain twenty minutes from the end (72nd), replaced by Neymar who was playing his first match since November 28. The Brazilian is the decisive passer on Mbappé’s goal.
Lionel Messi: 4.5/10
A frustrating game. Lionel Messi was very available in the first period, coming for the balls quite low on the lawn. He finished with 76 balls hit and was able to create some shifts, like on this magnificent opening for Mbappé (18th). But he lacked precision in the last gesture, as on this missed penalty (65th). It was Thibaut Courtois who pulled off the Argentinian’s attempt, but Messi could do much better on the spot. We expect even more from the seven-time Ballon d’Or.
Kylian Mbappe: 8/10
Who, apart from him, to get this victory for PSG? Kylian Mbappé tried everything, passed, overwhelmed, single-handedly provoked the entire Madrid defense and gave Dani Carvajal a real nightmare. The latter came out totally rinsed, replaced by Lucas Vazquez, who saw the Mbappé train pass in front of him on the goal scored at the end of the match (90th + 4). Before that, the Frenchman had lost in a duel with Courtois (18th), had barely missed the frame (77th) but had made a lot of differences without finding a teammate. Still huge.
Mauricio Pochettino: 7/10
Mauricio Pochettino won his duel from a distance with Carlo Ancelotti. The Argentinian coach of Paris Saint-Germain can only regret the score, far from being flattering given the performance of his players. The PSG staff seems to have prepared the meeting very well and the positioning of Danilo Pereira is eloquent in this regard. All that remains is to convince in the return match (March 9).