PSG is a great show business. For the first match played in Western Europe in front of the public since mid-March, the French champions delighted the 4,000 spectators authorized to enter the Océane stadium in Le Havre. A resumption with fanfare (0-9) perfectly launching the series of friendly matches which should allow Parisians to arrive ready for the Cup finals, against Saint-Etienne on July 24 and against Lyon on July 31, then on July 12 August for its Champions League quarter-final against Atalanta Bergamo.
As if to better recall the objectives, Thomas Tuchel has also lined up at the outset a team close enough to that which could set out to conquer the three titles that remain to be won. To start with his gold plated attack with Mbappé associated with Icardi in the axis and the duo Neymar-Di Maria to animate the corridors.
A quartet that quickly took the measure of residents of Ligue 2 who had assimilated the instruction not to tickle the ankles of Paris too much. Icardi took advantage of the generosity in the Norman marking to register a double on his first two balls, perfectly served by Kehrer (0-1, 8th) then Di Maria (0-2, 19th). The Argentinian, particularly inspired, also demonstrated that four months without competition did nothing to lose his licked technique. The former Real player showed everything that was possible with the outside of his left foot. An inspiring demonstration for his teammates.
The smile on Neymar’s face as he entered the lawn was also a harbinger of a gala evening. The Brazilian has never stopped combining with Mbappé who offers him his first opportunity on a header not framed (7th). But it was all alone that he scored the most beautiful goal of the evening: taking a ball in the middle of the field, acceleration which eliminates all the Le Havre defense, feint of strike to put the goalkeeper on the buttocks and goal in an angle closed (0-3, 22e).
A few minutes later, it is Mbappé’s turn to register his goal after having benefited from a coarse disagreement from the Le Havre defense to recover the ball and send it to the back of the net with a beautiful coiled strike (0- 4, 29e).
A breath of freshness
The world champion also reminded everyone that he had lost nothing of his speed. Too fast in any case for Coulibaly, forced to throw it into the surface to stop it. An offering for Neymar (0-5, 42nd) and the feeling of a job well done for a team completely renewed at break, except for the young Bakker, who prolonged the pleasure a little because of the absences of Bernat and Kurzawa.
Enough to offer the whole group equal playing time and to balance the efforts of the recovery. The freshness of Gueye (0-6, 49th), who after his goal paid homage to George Floyd, knee on the ground, raised fist, then the contribution of Sarabia (0-7, 52nd; 0-9, 60th) or Kalimuendo (0-8, 59th) then ended the evening with offensive fireworks. Without removing doubts about the real physical level of Parisians after such a long stop. A good impression that the Parisians will have to confirm next Friday at the Parc des Princes (7 p.m.) against the Belgians of Waasland-Beveren for their second preparation match.
