Paris wrecked despite the "MNM" trio

Was it the fatigue of his European clash won against Real Madrid on Tuesday (1-0)?

Or a little smugness for Parisian superstars?

PSG sank in Nantes in a breathtaking match, finding themselves trailing 3-0 at the break and stumbling in vain against the defense and Nantes goalkeeper Alban Lafont, in a state of grace.

PSG strikers Kylian Mbappé (g) and Lionel Messi (c) come up against Nantes goalkeeper Alban Lafont on February 19, 2022 at the La Beaujoire stadium LOIC VENANCE AFP

This is the big gap between the dominating and confident team of the Champions League, and the eleven tossed about in Nantes, despite the return of Neymar as starter after three months of absence (a goal, a missed penalty ) and his reunion with his two accomplices of the "MNM" trio.

Nothing serious at the accounting level, where Mauricio Pochettino's team remains largely at the head of the L1, but it is more worrying at the mental and collective level, as several Parisian second knives have failed.

The German Thilo Kherer thus offered boulevards behind his back to the Nantes attackers, as on the opener of the score of Randal Kolo Muani (4th).

Then the young Quentin Merlin increased the score with a pure strike in the skylight, his first goal in L1 (16th), in front of a passive Parisian defense.

Things did not work out for Paris: while Dennis Appiah, guilty of having stopped Mbappé who was spinning on goal (44th), had just received a red card, the referee commuted it to a simple yellow card after resorting to video refereeing (VAR).

PSG striker Neymar completely misses his penalty in Nantes, on February 19, 2022 at the La Beaujoire stadium Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS AFP

And, in the additional time of the first period, it was again the VAR which earned PSG to concede a penalty for a handball from Georginio Wijnadum, immediately transformed by Ludovic Blas in force (45th + 5).

This is the worst start to a match in L1 for the Parisians since a match against Amiens where they were also down 3-0 in February 2020 (final score 4-4)...

At least they reacted a little just after the break: it was first Neymar, on a laser pass from Messi, who hooked a defender and reduced the score (47th).

But at the height of the Parisian domination, when the chances were linked, the Brazilian missed a penalty obtained by Mbappé: his inexplicably soft strike was stopped by Lafont, author of a hair-raising match in the Nantes cage with no less than 8 crucial stops!

A good omen for the end of the season, where Nantes will notably play a semi-final of the Coupe de France against Monaco.

PSG striker Kylian Mbappé hit in an ankle against Nantes, February 19, 2022 at the La Beaujoire stadium LOIC VENANCE AFP

In the Parisian slump, the only good news is that Kylian Mbappé, who remained on the ground after a blow to the left ankle, was able to finish the match without incident...

Lyon skates against the wind

Engaged in an operation to raise the standings, Lyon failed to extricate themselves from Lens on Saturday afternoon at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium, skating in difficult atmospheric conditions after the passage of storm Eunice over northern France.

The RCL opened the scoring through Jonathan Clauss (13th), who had followed well after a stoppage by goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, but the Lyonnais ended up equalizing by Tino Kadewere, established in the lead in place of Moussa Dembélé (suspended ) and author of his first goal of the season (44th).

Lensois Arnaud Kalimuendo (d) in the fight with Lyonnais Castello Lukeba, February 19, 2022 at the Bollaert stadium FRANCOIS LO PRESTI AFP

This draw comes to shower, for the time being, Lyon's ambition to get closer to the podium: Peter Bosz's team has certainly risen to 6th provisional place (38 pts) but remains under threat from its pursuers

"With the wind, it was not easy to play," admitted Bosz.

"That point, against an away competitor, in a real football atmosphere, is a good one to take."

© 2022 AFP