Champions League: at home, Paris fall, Rennes draws

Neymar during the match against Manchester United on October 20, 2020. REUTERS / Gonzalo Fuentes

Text by: Farid Achache Follow

3 min

Paris Saint-Germain, finalist out of the Champions League, began their European campaign by losing at home to Manchester United (2-1).

Stade Rennais for its baptism in the Champions League was held in check by the Russians from Krasnodar (1-1).

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Paris Saint-Germain returned to the Champions League on Tuesday and started afresh with an explosive shock against Manchester United, while Rennes made their debut in the competition against Krasnodar.

Manchester United, as in 2019

“ 

The challenge is to start over, to prove again, to qualify in this very difficult group.

We start with zero points, zero goals,

 ”said coach Thomas Tuchel.

The shock against Manchester United was to show the capabilities of the capital club in this early stage of the group stage campaign.

And PSG, without Marco Verratti, Leandro Paredes and Mauro Icardi, injured, needed a benchmark success against the English club who had eliminated him with a crash in the round of 16 in 2019 (2-0, 1-3) .

Above all, a success was welcome before two difficult trips in two weeks, in Istanbul against Basaksehir and then at RB Leipzig.

But things were not easy for PSG led 1-0 at the break after a penalty initially stopped by Keylor Navas, but finally withdrawn because the Parisian goalkeeper was not on his line at the time of the strike .

Bruno Fernandes adjusts the Costa Rican goalkeeper, who went to the right, on the wrong side, with a flat right foot (23rd).

PSG equalized in the second half with a goal against his camp at Martial (55th).

Finally, Paris fell at the Parc des Princes at the end of the game in the 87th minute after Manchester United's second goal signed Marcus Rashford which triggered a shot from the right foot into the small right net of Keylor Navas, helpless.

And as in 2019, Marcus Rashford allows Manchester United to win at the Parc des Princes and puts pressure on PSG.

Rennes starts with a draw

“ 

We started badly, and we ended this game badly.

It's a shame to lose points like that at home.

There, we were late in the duels, we paid him "cash".

We will have to raise our heads and keep our goals,

 ”commented captain Presnel Kimpembe after the defeat.

Stade Rennais, for its baptism in the Champions League at home in front of 5,000 spectators, was held in check by the Russians of Krasnodar (1-1) despite the opening scoring of Julien Stéphan's men.

Serhou Guirassy will remain as the first scorer for the Red and Black in C1, thanks to a penalty (56th) obtained following a foul on Martin Terrier.

But the euphoria only lasted 4 minutes as Ecuadorian Cristian Ramirez equalized with a long shot for the Russians in stride.

This draw nevertheless allows the two teams to settle at the top of Group E ahead of Chelsea and Sevilla, who also neutralized each other (0-0).

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