Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco faced off this Saturday at the Parc des Princes for Matchday 15 of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season. The match ended in a 5-0 victory for PSG (video highlights PSG/Rennes). After the game, Rennes coach Habib Beye held a press conference. He was very clear about his team’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the level of their opponents.
Beye: “We were naive and we were punished.”
“To what do you attribute this heavy defeat (0-5)?”
“To quite a few things. I think we started very, very well with the game plan we had put in place: going after them, creating chances, showing personality. Then we lacked aggression on PSG’s first counter-attack.” We had the opportunity to score first and we took that transition, even though we had several chances to stop the attack. We lacked guile.
It caught us off guard. And the same thing happened on the second goal; we were static. We lacked aggression in those crucial areas. We pay the price against teams like that. It’s a shame, because we played good football, we pressed them, we prevented them from establishing their game.
You only committed 5 fouls in this match. Didn’t you lack aggression?
It proves that in those high-pressing situations, you have to be able to foul. They manage to do it when they’re caught out. We were naive and we were punished. In some situations, we were too lenient.
Beye: “I understand why they’re so strong, why they’re European champions.” “
Doesn’t this show some limitations of your team?”
“No, these aren’t limitations, it’s a sign of a very, very high level. I understand they’re not at their best, but when I see this team, I understand why they’re so strong, why they’re European champions. When I see tonight’s match, they showed us in the first half that, with very few chances, they can be clinical,” as reported by L’Equipe.
The Rennes coach had stated that he wouldn’t change his playing philosophy, and we saw that. It was interesting, with a really enjoyable match to watch and a genuine attempt. One that came close to opening the scoring. Except that the shot was deflected onto the post by Willian Pacho and Matvey Safonov. Then, there was a very good counter-attack and the goal, led by the talent of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. That’s definitely something now.” With a possible regret regarding a lack of aggression on both sides of the pitch.
However, this is a match Rennes can learn from, having played with their game plan. There are positives to take away, and no shame in losing like this against a PSG side that’s back in form. As Beye points out, it’s a way to highlight mistakes, a “revealer” that should allow them to improve.
Opponents of Paris’ caliber, which we “rediscovered” last night, are rare. We hope to see this energy return to the Parisian team in the upcoming matches, with a gradual build-up throughout the season after a predictably difficult start without a proper preseason.
