On Monday evening, Paris Saint-Germain lost 0-1 against Paris FC in the Round of 32 of the 2025-2026 Coupe de France at the Parc des Princes. Here are our top and bottom performers from this victory.
Top performers –
Willian Pacho, the unflappable one.
To allow Beraldo to play centrally, Willian Pacho (24 years old) moved to the wing this time. It was a success, as Beraldo was comfortable and Pacho adapted very well. He doesn’t offer much going forward, but that’s not his role here. He contributes to the idea of having an aggressive defensive line capable of covering the ball, while also ensuring the build-up play. Being shifted to the left didn’t prevent him from being composed.
Lucas Beraldo.
The 22-year-old defender is often mentioned in transfer rumors, as he is clearly a backup player at the moment. But the Brazilian isn’t letting it faze him; he’s working hard and trying to seize opportunities.
This was certainly the case on Monday. Far from being a possible lack of match fitness, he looked very comfortable defensively and in possession. Even when facing fast-paced attacks, which can sometimes cause him problems. It’s promising; he’ll need to build on this.
Creativity.
Against a very defensive block, it’s difficult to create many chances. PSG managed to overcome this difficulty thanks to variety, movement, beautiful combinations, and so on. Not forgetting their famous pressing, which puts the opposition under pressure.
Flops –
Inefficiency…
We’ve been pointing this out for a while now: PSG hasn’t rediscovered its “simplicity” in front of goal, nor its clinical finishing. Sometimes there’s a focus on spectacle rather than the “stupid” or altruistic move that would ultimately win the game. And by making things complicated with every play, they complicate things for the entire match. It’s time for the strikers to get back into their season.
And so, elimination.
By constantly pushing the limits, PSG was punished. We’ve already seen plenty of opinions about Paris FC being better in terms of play, strategy, etc. It’s madness. PSG dominated and had every opportunity to win by several goals. But efficiency is part of football. In that respect, PFC was stronger. And it’s a huge disappointment.
