Istanbul (AFP)

Neymar and Cavani absent, Mbappé on the bench at the kickoff: the Paris SG has relied on his Argentine rookie, Mauro Icardi, author of his first goal in his new colors to win in Galatasaray (1-0 ), on the second day of the Champions League.

As in the inaugural match against Real Madrid, Thomas Tuchel had chosen to start the 26-year-old striker loaned by Inter Milan to overcome the absences of Neymar (suspended) and Edinson Cavani (convalescent). Back from injury Saturday in the league, where he offered a goal to Neymar, Kylian Mbappé was his replacement, the German coach does not consider "not (yet) able to play 90 minutes."

Like the rest of the team, Icardi's first period was initially sluggish. Not very sharp in his races and it is true quite poorly served by his compatriot Di Maria, the most active early in the game.

Launched by the latter, however, Icardi lost a first match against Fernando Muslera, collecting a yellow card in the 7th minute for leaving behind his crampons near the face of the Uruguayan goalkeeper.

In the 15th minute, Muslera was again the winner of a face-to-face with the Argentine, this time launched by Juan Bernat. One of the other Parisian rookies, Pablo Sarabia, followed but his shot hit the net.

It was only part of the handover for Sarabia and Icardi. A few minutes after the restart, the two players finally found the fault, helped by Marco Verratti. The Italian has launched in depth the Spaniard who fixed Muslera and then centered at the back post for the Argentinian who had only to push the ball into the net.

Not the most difficult goal for the one who scored 124 with Inter, but his first in the Parisian jersey and especially the only one of this match that allows Paris to do full card after the wide success against Real 3-0 .

- Surprise Recruit -

The Argentine gave way a few minutes later to Kylian Mbappé (61st) who delivered a quiet half hour with the exception of a shot down the post (76th).

The arrival of Icardi had ignited the last hours of the transfer window. Already decimated by the wounds of Mbappé and Cavani and the suspension of Neymar in the Champions League, PSG had made a big blow by attaching the services of the goleador of Inter in the form of a loan of a "matched 'an option to buy', estimated at 70 million by French and Italian media.

Captain Mauro Icardi had become a pariah at Inter after a long conflict born during the winter around the extension of his contract and fueled by the short sentences of his wife and agent, the highly media Wanda Nara.

PSG and its sports director Leonardo had been able to take advantage of this deleterious climate and the stalemate in which the two parties were to attract the player at the very end of transfer window.

After this first European goal, Paris is counting on his Argentine to do as well as last season with Inter where he had scored four goals in six group matches.

© 2019 AFP