Despite a double from Kylian Mbappé, Paris Saint-Germain, freshly champions, lost in additional time the victory in Strasbourg (3-3), Friday, which took a precious point in view of the European places.
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PSG does not have the collective organization of Manchester City or Liverpool, but the capital club has the ultimate weapon to win at football.
Mbappé showed again that he was a Ballon d’Or in power, with two goals (23rd, 68th) and an assist for Achraf Hakimi (64th), which completed his exceptional season.
But his team-mates don’t have the mindset of Real Madrid either, and that’s a problem when it comes to resisting the onslaught of a more aggressive team, supported by a noisy public.
Strasbourg came back from 1-3 to 3-3 in the last quarter of an hour, thanks to an own goal from Marco Verratti (75th) and another from Anthony Caci (92nd) in a crazy end to the game.
“We were professional,” said coach Mauricio Pochettino, who did not rotate his squad despite the lack of pressure for results.
The course is cruel given the performance of Mbappé, but it makes sense, as the Alsatians pushed the whole meeting. They had opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, by Kevin Gameiro.
The Strasbourg character
It is the fastest goal of the season conceded by PSG, who have not won with any team in the top 8 in L1 in 2021/22.
This point allows Racing, in the running for European qualification, to temporarily regain fifth place in Nice, before the Aiglons move to Bordeaux on Sunday (5:05 p.m.), for the 35th day.
“You can count on us to give everything until the end”, rejoiced the Alsatian technician Julien Stéphan, proud after an “unforgettable” evening.
For PSG, which will play until the end of the season with a golden star above its logo to celebrate its ten national titles, the issue is not countable. Above all, the club wants to convince Mbappé to extend his contract, which expires in June.
Top scorer (24) and passer (15) in the championship, the striker is essential. Neither the title obtained, nor the uncertainties around his future, have deviated the striker from the path of the goal where he is often flashed for speeding.
“There are three games left and I will keep trying to help my team win every time,” he said.
He equalized by slipping the ball between the legs of Mats Sels, at the conclusion of a counter initiated by Neymar which saw him cover half the field in a sprint.
Mbappé goalscorer and passer
In the second half, it was a failed back pass from Strasbourg defender Alexander Djiku who launched it against the Belgian goalkeeper. Again, “Kyky” was surgical in their duel.
His radiant activity contrasts with the anonymous match of Lionel Messi, while Neymar was still nervous, chambered by an audience who did not appreciate his gestures of humor.
These two superstars embody the darker side of the Parisian season, weighed down by a stammering collective who did not have the level to win the Champions League this season.
Paris came close to a disaster scenario, after the 2-0 goal from Adrien Thomasson (10th), finally canceled for an offside by Ludovic Ajorque at the start of the action.
The end of the match was also complicated, after Marco Verratti scored against his camp (75th). After the failures of Gameiro (78th) and Habib Diallo (90th), Caci equalized by volleying a cross from Dimitri Liénard.