Suspended for the Champions Trophy against Nantes (4-0), on July 31, then touched the adductors before the trip to Clermont (5-0), on August 6 at the opening of the championship, Mbappé was stamping impatiently at the idea to find his teammates and finally launch this 2022-2023 exercise.

But the world champion, who in his absence had seen the Lionel Messi-Neymar duo blaze and monopolize all the attention, did not always seem on his plate, as if he had put too much pressure on himself to want quickly put himself back at the top of the bill, he who has been erected as the boss and head of the team since the extension of his contract until 2025.

A missed penalty (23rd), an inability to make big differences and above all unusual gestures of annoyance marked his reunion with PSG and the Park before he finally found the fault on a beautiful instinctive recovery at the end meeting (70th) after being at the origin of the first Parisian goal, his shot being deflected by the unfortunate Falaye Sacko into his own net (39th).

Paris even believed for a moment to relive a new "penaltygate", five years after the confusion between Neymar and Edinson Cavani, when the referee whistled a second foul in the penalty area.

But after a brief discussion with Neymar, Mbappé avoided a new psychodrama by letting the Brazilian double the bet (44th) in an exercise in which he is undoubtedly one of the greatest specialists in the world.

Double for Neymar

Neymar, decidedly in optimal form at the start of the season, then offered himself a double on a diving header (51st).

The Brazilian, visibly ultra-involved and motivated, has already scored three goals and three assists in two L1 matches, not counting his double in the Champions Trophy.

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Enough to anger Mbappé a little more, who kept overplaying to try to make a difference on individual exploits, before breaking free in the last twenty minutes.

The conditions were however ideal to allow the Frenchman to shine.

After months of rebellion following the elimination in the knockout stages of the Champions League against Real Madrid last March, the ultras have not stopped giving voice to set the mood at the Park.

Despite the reductions in the score of Wahbi Khazri (58th) and Enzo Tchato (90th2), Galtier can be satisfied with his big first in front of the Parisian supporters.

The first test was perfectly successful for the Marseille-born technician, who also appreciated the first goal of rookie Renato Sanches shortly after entering the game (86th).

It will probably take an opponent of a higher caliber to judge the solidity of this PSG and especially the viability of the attacking trio Messi-Neymar-Mbappé.

But with 14 goals in three games, all competitions combined, and two goals conceded, Paris started the season on a very high footing and the state of grace continues for Galtier.

© 2022 AFP