Paris Saint-Germain drew 1-1 with Lille this Sunday at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Matchday 7 of Ligue 1 2025-2026. After the match, journalist Daniel Riolo spoke to RMC Sport and criticized Lille’s approach.
Riolo: “If you don’t go there, you’ll never go.”
“PSG’s name was on the screen, and they arrived resigned. They played at home as if they were guests, like a guest who arrives at the last minute. They don’t dare go to the buffet and don’t help themselves to much food or drink, without ambition, with their heads bowed, thinking ‘they’re stronger than us.’ But look at who you’re dealing with. If you don’t go there, you’ll never go.” »
After the match, Lille coach Bruno Genesio lamented his team’s lack of ambition at times. However, he also highlighted their defensive choice, with three midfielders who fit this profile rather than their usual attacking style. This is regrettable, given that PSG was severely weakened. We understand Riolo’s position here.
Paris can be scary; they have impressive potential. Except that they were missing Marquinhos, Fabian Ruiz, João Neves, Khvicha Kvaratkshelia, Ousmane Dembélé, and Désiré Doué. There’s room for improvement, with a strong team and the support of the fans. Plus, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and Achraf Hakimi were on the bench. Genesio couldn’t have guessed it with certainty, but it wasn’t a surprise either. And we didn’t see any adaptation during the match.
It’s a shame not to be a little more daring. This defensive approach is sometimes tiring, but at least understandable. There, it was a bit “cautious.” They finally took a point, which isn’t so bad. But also, and above all, there are a lot of regrets displayed by Lille.
