PSG-Brest (3-1): Paris passes and reassures itself before the Champions League

What if Luis Enrique had been right? What if, as he had announced without convincing in mid-December, his PSG had transformed with the arrival of February and the tough matches? It will take more, of course, than this sparkling qualification that looks like something out of a box of boredom to set his predictions in stone and make the Parisian coach the Nostradamus of the football planet. But a week, exactly, from the Champions League meeting against Real Sociedad that the Parisian people had been watching until then with almost as much greed as anxiety, PSG drowned its supporters under a wave of confidence and treats.

It is by showing itself, overall, reassuring and rejoicing, that this PSG which had struggled against Brest during its two confrontations in Ligue 1, this time got the better of the third in the championship and won his ticket for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France.

A qualification far from trivial for Luis Enrique since we remember that Mauricio Pochettino’s team stopped there, two years ago against Nice, before being imitated last season by that of Christophe Galtier exited by OM again in the round of 16.

This Wednesday evening, Paris can rejoice in being in the quarter-final of the Coupe de France for the first time since 2021, the year of its last victory in the competition, on the one and only condition of not forgetting, however, to make also his self-criticism. To remember that at times he still played at scaring himself. That the post saved him from the worst on the wrapped shot from Satriano (29th) and that Donnarumma (30th) played the saviors, in the process, on the half-volley from Magnetti (30th). He will also have to find a solution to this new guilty relaxation which allowed Mounié to reduce the mark (65th) and restore a bit of suspense to this meeting which the leader of L1 nevertheless went through with more intensity and conviction than the previous ones.

Big scare for Mbappé

But seven days before welcoming Real Sociedad right here on the lawn of the Park, he must above all rejoice at the best, at having (re)found rhythm and automatisms closer to the demands imposed by the European scene. If necessary, this match against Brest confirmed that with Dembélé and Barcola, existence was certainly tastier and that associated with a fiery Mbappé, the Parisian attack formed a triplet of good life. The three goals scored yesterday do not say everything that Paris was able to achieve success.

But Dembélé’s desire to snatch the ball from Locko so that Zaire-Emery sends Mbappé towards his 33rd goal in the competition is in reality a delight in overstepping his function (34th). Like that of Danilo, surgical to transform the center of Dembélé who had just deposited Magnetti like a parcel on the left flank (37th). Just a glimpse of the offensive festival that the three madmen in front could, with more success, have made even more sparkling. The only scare moment came in the 70th minute, when Brassier appeared to tear Mbappé’s ankle. Any player wouldn’t have recovered from that. But the captain of the Blues is different. In added time, he initiated a delicious collective action punctuated by Ramos (90th + 1). Paris is back, Mbappé is still unstoppable.