More determined from the start, Monaco came out with the intention of hurting PSG. The hosts attacked with such intensity that they managed to generate three corner kicks in just five minutes of play, while Gianluigi Donnarumma had to intervene twice.
The pressure was such that Jean Lucas had the clearest option after 10 minutes after a defensive error by Leandro Paredes. The midfielder went hand in hand with the Italian goalkeeper but inexplicably missed the shot under the goal.
In 20 minutes of the game, Mauricio Pochettino’s team failed to bother the Monegasque defense. Kylian Mbappé’s arrivals on the left wing were frustrated before entering the area and Neymar was unable to connect with the team, while those led by Philippe Clement continued to put the Italian team’s goalkeeper in trouble.
The insistence of the local team paid off. At 24 Youssouf Fofana broke free on the right wing, reached the bottom and released a low cross towards the middle of the area where Wissam Ben Yedder arrived, who connected the ball with his heel to surprise Donnurmma and open the scoring.
Just half an hour into the match, Neymar had the first dangerous shot for the Parisian team when he executed a free kick a few meters from the area that flew over the barrier demanding the young Alexander Nübel on his far post. With the passing of the minutes, the visitors were able to get closer to the rival goal but were unable to convert the situations into a goal during the first half.
In the complement PSG came out with a different attitude. Pochettino’s men began to dominate and keep possession of the ball against a Monaco that could not keep up with the pace and high pressure that he showed during the first 45 minutes.
With the passing of the minutes and reaching game time, the duel was losing intensity in his game. Monaco fell further back and the Parisians struggled to find space in the last few meters in front of goal.
When the match seemed stalemated, a new blow came for the visiting team. At 68 Kevin Volland surprised the defense with a shot at the goal of the small area to stretch the score after a collective play in which Ben Yedder gave the final pass to the German striker who pushed the ball and dislodged Donnarumma.
At 72 Hakimi had the opportunity to discount with a powerful shot from the right sector that hit Nubel’s gloves under the three posts. Six later it was Mauro Icardi (entered by Wijnaldum) the protagonist of a new chance that found the German goalkeeper well off.
At the moment when PSG began to react with key arrivals, Monaco struck the knockout blow when the author of the second goal fell inside the area after a touch by Presnel Kimpembe. At 81 minutes, Ben Yedder scored his double from twelve steps and sentenced the result with a 3-0.
Developing…
The turbulence that Mauricio Pochettino and his team felt in the Parc des Princes in the 3-0 win against Bordeaux was a wake-up call from the fans for the performance shown in the Champions League.
The walk of the team from the capital in Ligue 1 has a double edge. On the one hand, the peace of mind of being 15 points behind their pursuers Marseille and Nice, with the particularity that on matchday 29 they will face each other in the last match of the date. For this reason, PSG’s three points are more relevant towards a new local title.
On the other hand, the obligation to win the local championship became another level of importance having been eliminated in the French Cup as well as internationally. The coach wants to ensure a calm walk towards the trophy and that is why he would do the best he has available for the visit to Monaco.
The striker will be marked by the absence of Lionel Messi, who has had the flu for three days. The absence of the former Barcelona joins the casualties of his compatriot Ángel di María, with discomfort in his hamstrings, and the Spaniards Sergio Ramos, Ander Herrera and Juan Bernat, who are in the final stretch of recovery from their respective injuries and that they will resume training with the group “next week”, according to PSG
Mbappé and Neymar will have to do their thing from the start. One of the doubts regarding the victory against Bordeaux last weekend is whether Georginio Wijnaldum, with rumors of leaving the club in June in search of more minutes, maintains the starting lineup or if Marco Verratti returns to the starting line-up to put together the midfield that Pochettino used the most in the season.
In addition, the coach must choose the goalkeeper for the match and with the Costa Rican Keylor Navas having saved the last date, the possibility of the Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma returning after his mistake against Real Madrid is not ruled out. The defense would not move from the classic names used by the technical director in recent times.
Monaco comes from losing to Racing de Strasbourg and is in the middle of the table with a total of 41 points. Six units from the qualifying positions for the continental tournaments, they cannot afford to loosen up against Paris Saint Germain and will go out on their field with the aim of adding to get closer to fifth position.
probable formations
Stadium: Louis II Stadium.
TV: ESPN.
Positions table