On Friday, as part of Day 2 of the 2025 Club World Cup, Paris Saint-Germain took on Botafogo at the Rose Bowl Stadium. The Red and Blues lacked precision and pace, and lost 0-1 (video highlights PSG – Botafogo). Here are our grades on the Parisians.
Goalkeeper –
Gianluigi Donnarumma (5) – Almost nothing to do, and it’s hard to blame him for the goal he scored with a thwarted shot.
Defenders –
Achraf Hakimi (5) – A lot of running, no significant misses…but not much of a contribution either.
Lucas Beraldo (6) – Solid overall, with a fine recovery.
Willian Pacho (6,5) – Beaten on goal with a bit of bad luck, but impressive wide.
Lucas Hernandez (3) – Not an imperious defender, he was above all very scrappy. Not only did he not make any real contribution offensively, but he also failed to clear the ball when it looked like he might be looking for a team-mate. Replaced in the 55th minute by Fabian Ruiz.
Midfielders –
Warren Zaïre-Emery (4) – Clean sheet, some good interventions, but we’re still waiting for more in the attacking department. Replaced in the 55th minute by João Neves.
Vitinha (6) – Very clean, but failed to raise his team’s tempo or create any danger.
Senny Mayulu (4) – A very sharp performer when he came on recently, this time his start was rather lacklustre. But he didn’t totally miss out either. Replaced in the 55th minute by Fabian Ruiz.
Forwards –
Désiré Doué (3) – Tried hard, but rarely made the right choices. His dribbling was a little forced and his crosses often missed. Appreciated for his defensive efforts. Replaced in the 79th minute by Lee Kang-In.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (6.5) – Tried hard and was one of the few players to really create danger. But he also lacked success.
Gonçalo Ramos (2) – Transparent, apart from a few passes. His defensive efforts are always appreciated. The Portuguese almost “saved” his match from a Vitinha free-kick, but the opposing keeper pulled off a reflex save. It’s a pity that the crosses came after his exit. Replaced in the 55th minute by Bradley Barcola.
Coach –
Luis Enrique (5) – This time, his team lacked cutting edge, precision and creativity. A rare occurrence. We shouldn’t be too hard on this possibly tired squad either.
