Everything moves very quickly in football. Everything is going even faster at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) who drew with Stade de Reims (2-2), Sunday March 10, at the Parc des Princes. Since Kylian Mbappé announced his departure at the end of the season to his leaders, his playing time has dropped sharply. It is difficult not to see, in this sudden change of status, a desire for retaliation from the club.
Replaced at half-time during the match in Monaco, Friday March 1, the Parisian striker left the locker room with his phone in his ear when the match had resumed, slowly going around the pitch to join not the sidelines but the tribune. Hello atmosphere.
But all that seems a long way away now. In the meantime, there was qualification for the quarter-finals of the Champions League firmly acquired by PSG on the pitch of Real Sociedad, without trembling and with two classy goals signed Mbappé.
Five days later, the kid from Bondy returned to the bench against Reims, but there is no longer any question – for the moment – of tensions between him and his club.
On the occasion of the reception of the Champagne club, during the 25th day of Ligue 1, the Spaniard Luis Enrique carried out a large review of the squad, just to give some players a break between the Champions League match and the quarter-final of the Coupe de France which looms on Wednesday against Nice. Thus, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, midfielder Vitinha and winger Ousmane Dembélé were also able to breathe.
Ten points difference
From the outset, Marshall Munetsi took advantage of an error from Achraf Hakimi to give the Rémois the advantage (0-1, 7th). But the Parisians reversed the trend in the space of two minutes, with an own goal from Yunis Abdelhamid, following a corner, and a strike into the area from Gonçalo Ramos (2-1, 19th).
Shortly before the break, a fantastic pass from central defender Emmanuel Agbadou pierced the Parisian lines and Oumar Diakité put the two teams back on level terms with the help of the post (2-2, 45th).
The second period was more locked down and Kylian Mbappé, who came on for the last quarter of an hour, had the best opportunity: his shot went right next to the cage guarded by Yehvann Diouf. Final score 2-2.
Even if it did not win, in the standings, PSG increases its lead over Stade Brestois – a runner-up beaten in Lens on Saturday evening at the end of an intense and indecisive match until the end (1-0). Ten points now separate the two teams at the end of the 25th day of Ligue 1. A very comfortable mattress with a view to winning a twelfth league title.
For its part, Stade de Reims still occupies a prominent place in the soft underbelly of the championship, in ninth place.
