FAVORITES

As is now customary, the Parisian players greeted the public after their 4-0 victory over OM on Sunday. They notably spent long minutes at the foot of the Auteuil bend, singing, celebrating, communing with the Ultras Paris Collective. “On the pitch, during the match and even afterwards with this communion, it was incredible. These are unforgettable moments and I think we will experience more of them this season,” relishes Randal Kolo Muani, scorer and passer on Sunday. “It’s the first time I’ve seen a stadium like that… It’s incredible,” says Bradley Barcola, surprise starter in the starting lineup. As after the match against Lens (3-1), the young (17 year old) titi Warren Zaire-Emery grabbed a megaphone to sing with the Ultras. This time, he wasn’t alone, he did it in front of all his friends. Strong.

Dogmatic coach par excellence, Luis Enrique got off the beaten track on Sunday, starting Bradley Barcola in addition to the Mbappé/Kolo Muani/Dembélé trio. And he continued on this path by choosing Gonçalo Ramos when he had to replace Kylian Mbappé. The usual 4-3-3 looked more like a 3-4-3 against OM. However, we have often seen a line of four attackers torment Jacques Abardonado’s five-man defense. “We didn’t play with four attackers, we always played with this style. When Vitinha is there, he sticks the line too, it was the same thing with Bradley. We always have the same style of play,” corrects Kolo Muani. In any case, the important thing is that PSG continues to be very active when they lose the ball, as was the case on Sunday. “We attacked at 11 and defended at 11,” rejoiced Luis Enrique, highlighting the state of mind of his troops. A state of mind that he has instilled since the start of the season, making PSG a real team. “Lucho” promised an offensive identity, he keeps his word game after game.

SEE ALSO – Luis Enrique after PSG-OM (4-0): “The most complete match since I’ve been here”

Finally ! Arriving on the banks of the Seine for nearly €70 million in 2021, Achraf Hakimi has not really met expectations in his first two seasons in Paris. Not that the Moroccan was bad, but he was nothing like a top player, whether under Mauricio Pochettino or Christophe Galtier, in a four- or five-man defense. With Luis Enrique, Hakimi is used in such a way that he can display all his qualities, all his class. “I am freer,” he summed up after PSG-Dortmund (2-0) on Tuesday, he who gets along perfectly with Ousmane Dembélé on the right side. Already a scorer in C1, the native of Madrid did it again with a magnificent free kick against OM. He was not far from the double, but his low shot ended on the post, allowing Kolo Muani to unlock his personal counter. Navigating between the side and the heart of the game, he touched 113 balls, recovered eight and took four shots. MVP.

CLAW STRIKES

Also read “If I tell you 20% of what I know, some will sleep in prison…”: behind the scenes of an explosive week at OM

The breakdown. Despite a sulphurous context, the Marseillais showed character on Thursday, in the Europa League, on the field of Ajax Amsterdam (3-3). We haven’t seen anything like this in Paris. “We didn’t respect the club,” insists Chancel Mbemba. “When you play a Classic with so little desire, it’s not possible… We ran out of balls this evening, sorry for the term,” complains Samuel Gigot, while Pau Lopez “apologizes among the supporters.” “He lacked everything. It wasn’t a Classic, but a friendly match for us, right? We cannot fall lower,” continues the Spanish OM goalkeeper, one week before a trip to Monaco. Certainly, the Olympians played away on Thursday in the European Cup, two days after PSG, who played at home. This is probably not trivial. But that’s no reason to be stepped on like that.

For around ten minutes, the Parisian supporters sang an anti-Marseillais song with strong homophobic connotations. “The Marseillais are PD,” they shouted again and again. Once or twice it might have gone unnoticed. But there… “I’m sorry but I don’t understand if the songs are nice or mean,” evaded Luis Enrique, who does not (yet) speak the language of Molière. The referee did not stop the game as he has the right to do. Obviously, Marseille fans have the same type of songs in their repertoire. It’s the folklore of this kind of rivalry. But in 2023, things are going less well… There is no doubt that some politicians will jump at the opportunity. To see if the LFP Disciplinary Commission takes up the matter.