DECRYPTION – Beyond the final result, discover what caught the attention of our journalist at the Parc des Princes, Wednesday, during PSG-Nice (3-1), in the Coupe de France.
FAVORITES
Mbappé and Ruiz’s candy
Kylian Mbappé and Fabian Ruiz are doing well, thank you for them. The two players never stopped looking for each other, combining on Wednesday, during PSG’s 3-1 victory against Nice, in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France. And it was on a one-two made by the two players that Paris opened the scoring, a masterful action, instinctively, with Mbappé obviously finishing, from the sole, in a half-volley. A goal which rewarded the capital club’s perfect start to the match. “I think this was the best first 35 minutes I’ve seen this season», Dared Luis Enrique after the meeting. One thing is certain: Kylian Mbappé only gives the full measure of his talent on the left side, not in the center. This is not new. We saw it clearly against Real Sociedad. And again Wednesday evening.
A spectacular and enjoyable match
The shock kept all its promises. Having been struggling for several weeks, with a current series of six matches without a victory in Ligue 1, the Aiglons were set to take a beating given the first half hour. And Jérémie Boga’s rush on the left changed everything, allowing Gaëtan Laborde to reignite the suspense in the 38th minute. From then on, the meeting changed dimension. Both goalkeepers had the opportunity to shine, even if Marcin Bulka also offered the second Parisian goal on a plate. Game, goals, suspense: the score was there on Wednesday, at the Parc des Princes.
Read alsoThe PSG-Nice notes: the Mbappé-Ruiz winning ticket, the energy of Mendes, the courage of Bulka
Bulka with courage
Beyond his performance against Ousmane Dembélé, Marcin Bulka made some classy saves against his former club, he who had already pulled out all the stops when Nice eliminated Paris in 2022. He finished the match despite a shock violent in the face. Shock with… his teammate Pablo Rosario. At first glance, the Polish goalkeeper has a broken nose. However, he insisted on staying on the field, making a few more big saves after that. Hat.
Nuno Mendes back in business
Out with injury since… April 2023, Nuno Mendes has been back for several weeks now. He is still far from his best level, but the Portuguese full-back has already regained some of his qualities. We saw him on Wednesday evening, who touched 99 balls. His burst of speed is still impressive, even if he still lacks rhythm and accuracy. All while he has to adapt to Luis Enrique’s instructions, it’s all new for him. However, it’s always nice to see a quality player back on the field after such a long absence. “The most important thing for me is to come back little by little. I feel good. I hope to do even better. (the coach’s speech) It’s a different system. I’ve only just started again. I try to do my best in this position. It’s true that I’m a little less offensive like that, but over time I will progress», he swears, he who treated himself to a crowd bath in front of Auteuil at the end.
CLAW STRIKES
The delay in starting Nice
Until Laborde’s goal, the Aiglons only suffered on Wednesday in Paris. When they finally started looking for their opponents higher up the pitch and using Boga’s speed, Francesco Farioli’s players caused problems for PSG. Alas, there was already 2-0 on the scoreboard… If they had started the match with the same state of mind, perhaps we wouldn’t be talking about the same thing at the finish. Time for regrets.
Read alsoCoupe de France: “PSG is not an NGO, but a football club”, insists Luis Enrique on the subject of his turnover
Parisian excitement
Certainly, PSG deserved their victory. Between a magnificent first half hour and a well-controlled second period, there is no picture. We can, however, point out that the Azuréens sent 15 shots towards Gigio Donnarumma’s cage, including four on target (18 shots and 6 on target for PSG). It’s far too much for Paris Saint-Germain which wants to control, to master the game. After a great start, Luis Enrique’s players failed mentally at the end of the first period and were generally too permissive defensively. It is customary to say that big club goalkeepers must be focused on one or two saves, that’s the difficulty of the job. Donnarumma has plenty of time to express himself. A bit too much. Fortunately for Paris, the European champion is in great shape at the moment. It’s even his best period since he arrived!
Read also Coupe de France: Why the PSG-Nice quarter-final was postponed to March 13
Programming during C1 matches
To accommodate PSG and not encroach on the Nations League final of the French women’s team, the FFF has chosen to postpone this quarter-final to March 13. There were not many dates left available to reschedule it, knowing that Paris is still in the running in the Champions League. However, PSG-Nice took place at the same time as the last two C1 round of 16 matches. Too bad for football fans, who had to make a choice between the Coupe de France and the one with big ears.
