On the scale of expressions of prowess and power, Paris Saint-Germain bringing almost €150m worth of attacking talent off the bench – including the man who scored the winning goal in the World Cup final last month – ranks only a couple of rungs below the level of the extravagant aggression of a military parade. Imposing, dominating, re-asserting, this wasn’t about expression but necessity as the reigning European champions initially floundered against a Rennes team that lived up to their billing as the best of the rest in Ligue 1. PSG were forced into rolling out their new attacking arsenal early.
For 45 minutes, Rennes’ incessant pressing and fluidity in transition had Luis Enrique’s side under duress. Sebastien Szymanski opened the scoring with a sliced effort from outside the box that clipped in off the inside of a post. PSG had territorial dominance but could not equalise.
Two former Rennes players – Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé – had the best chances, the latter particularly wasteful with a skied first-time effort from inside the box. Esteban Lepaul, the top scorer in Ligue 1 last season, picked up where he left off, beating Matvey Safonov with a first-time effort towards the near post to double Rennes’ lead. A reaction was needed, and it drew a very strong one from Luis Enrique.
Off came perhaps the two most talented players in the league, Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. On came Ferran Torres and Mika Godts, signed for a combined fee of nearly €100m, at half-time. The former hauled PSG back into the game.
In the meantime, the €50m signing Maghnes Akliouche had come on for his Ligue 1 debut for the champions, as had Fabián Ruiz and it was the Spanish connection that ensured a point for PSG. Ruiz teed up both of Torres’ goals, the first after an exquisitely timed run in behind from the former Barcelona forward and the second a close-range header. Willian Pacho was called upon in the dying moments, making a goalline clearance to secure the draw.
You have to show every day that you are ready,” said Luis Enrique when asked about his decision to replace Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia. He added that there had been a “a big difference in rhythm” between Rennes and PSG. PSG’s lethargy is no surprise; it was only the nature of their opponents – Nantes and Angers – that prevented them from slipping up at the start of last season, once again after limited preparation time.
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