Saint-Denis (AFP)

Fortunately he was there. Without Kylian Mbappé, Neymar has multiplied to offer Friday the Coupe de la Ligue to Paris SG who, however, touched the limits of the "Neymar dependence" against Lyon (0-0 ap, 6-5 at the tab), before the Champions League.

He was the tree that hides the forest or rather, under this heat, the coconut tree that hides the desert. The brilliant Brazilian N.10 gave everything, but without "Kyky" or top physical condition, it was not enough for a long time.

He needed the help of goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who stopped Bertrand Traoré's sixth shot on goal, to turn this evening on his side of history.

On paper, "Ney" made a match in his image, with spectacular dribbles, rolls to express his pain (20th) and above all, changes of pace which gave momentum to his team.

But she did not answer the call. After a coronation in the Coupe de France without shining against Saint-Etienne (1-0) a week earlier, PSG delivered a new mixed collective copy which worries before the C1.

Neymar, scorer against the Greens and then being the most dangerous Parisian against OL, seems to be off to a good start in his preparation for the Lisbon “Final 8” which will begin on August 12 with a quarter against Atalanta Bergamo.

"We have four finals ahead of us," he said before Lyon, on his website. It's our state of mind. We must always move forward with the will to win. "

- With Icardi, a relationship to be found -

But it remains for the coach Thomas Tuchel to find the best system so that his jewel bought 222 M EUR in the summer of 2017 shines with all its glory.

Against the Italians, "Ney" will be deprived of Angel di Maria, suspended, and, most certainly, of Mbappé, except "miracle", as conceded by the German technician who must thus rethink his classic 4-4-2.

Against Lyon, in a 4-3-3, the Brazilian was able to refine his relationship with Mauro Icardi, the last of the "Fantastic Four". But, between the two attackers, the agreement was not immediately obvious, recalling the less privileged relationship he had with Edinson Cavani.

The Argentine striker, in particular, wasted a great opportunity to counter-attack (45th + 1), when the Brazilian missed his pass by wanting to look for him (30th).

Already little in the air against Saint-Etienne, the "Goleador" has not yet succeeded in the match which would allow him to forget Edinson Cavani, his ex-competitor who did not wish to renew his contract which expired on June 30th. He was replaced in the 58th minute by Pablo Sarabia.

And as Di Maria was less incisive than usual, it was individually that Neymar tried to find the solution - his solo attempts reminiscent of the collective poverty of the Parisian game.

- Cold blood -

The former Santos tried from afar (5th), with a beautiful curled shot (8th) off target, from a free kick (53rd), and even from the head (87th), forcing Anthony Lopes to make a nice tap.

But he also sinned in the last move (60th) and lost a few hot balls (22nd, 26th, 36th, 74th) which betrayed his lack of rhythm. He went through overtime without influencing it, in a general context of declining power.

He had the match point with a very well placed free kick (120th + 1), but his shot ended well above. "Ney" did not, however, tremble during the penalty shoot-out, succeeding in the fifth Parisian attempt, when failure would have been synonymous with defeat.

Injured for his first Coupe de la Ligue final in 2018, Neymar thus touched for the first time this trophy which played at the Stade de France his last final. One more line in its record. But the most beautiful still remains to write, in Lisbon.

© 2020 AFP