Brest (AFP)

A double from Kylian Mbappé launched Paris SG to a logical success in Brest (3-0) on Saturday, in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France, four days to find FC Barcelona in the Champions League.

PSG are not far from having had the perfect evening.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino was able to rest some executives, and relaunch others in lack of rhythm, all without complaining of injuries.

The defending champion held his place, before the round of 16 return against Barça, where he will be asked to do the same.

Without Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Mauro Icardi and Keylor Navas, substitutes or spared, the PSG made blow a wind of Europe among "Ty Zef", thanks to the influence of Mbappé and Marco Verratti, promoted captain.

Absent in Bordeaux on Wednesday in Ligue 1 (1-0), the attacker (suspended) and the middle (injured one foot) transformed the Parisian game.

In a day that saw Robert Lewandowski (treble) and Erling Haaland (double) shine in their face-to-face, "Kyky" recalled that he was boxing in the same category.

He scored on his first opportunity, with a left missile at the entrance to the penalty area, in the top corner of Sébastien Cibois (9th).

"Kyky" had previously scattered his defenders with a sprint of thirty meters, ball to the foot, like a cheetah of the lawns, launched by the Italian midfielder.

Among the privileged spectators of this high-class action, the young Brestois on loan from PSG Bandiougou Fadiga, author of the loss of the ball which led to the goal, and the ten supporters gathered on the balcony of an apartment overlooking the stadium.

- Di Maria back -

The former Monegasque managed the double with an opportunistic goal, from the chest, on a pass from ... Verratti, of course (78th).

The connection between Bondy and Pescara had struck again earlier, but the post stopped the attempt of the young French world champion (35th).

Author of a hat-trick at Camp Nou on February 16 (4-1), Mbappé could have left with the match ball, again, without a stop from Sébastien Cibis (54th), after returning from the locker room.

In the meantime, Pablo Sarabia had made a success of the break just before half-time (44th), in an ideal timing for PSG, which thus took shelter against players from Brest.

Scorer in Bordeaux, the Spanish winger confirms his status as a cup man, he who scored seven times in the competition last season.

Brest pushed well in the second half, but Olivier Dall'Oglio's men lacked realism, like Fadiga (58th) and Romain Faivre (60th).

Their clumsiness made the business of Mauricio Pochettino, who was able to give playing time to Angel Di Maria, entered in the 65th.

The Argentine had not played since early February, due to a thigh injury.

The visionaries have therefore turned green, while waiting for Neymar, who could return in time for Barça.

The sky has cleared.

© 2021 AFP