On Saturday evening, Paris Saint-Germain lost 1-0 against Monaco in Matchday 14 of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season at the Stade Louis II. Here are the highs and lows of this defeat.
Highs –
Chevalier
He had a good match overall, although some will criticize his actions on Monaco’s goal. Admittedly, there wasn’t much he could do about it. Otherwise, he made some saves, came out well, and his distribution was satisfactory. It’s a match he can build on, even if nothing was exceptional.
Hernandez
He outpaced Akliouche several times, controlled his flank, and made forward runs, with varying degrees of success. It was a solid performance from him, not spectacular, but with real promise of a return to form, particularly in duels. We want to see him at this level, performing and moving forward.
No injury for Chevalier
That’s pretty much it for the highlights of this match. We should note, however, that the Parisian goalkeeper could have been seriously injured, but thankfully he wasn’t. Over-commitment is something that exists in football, but some actions are unacceptable.
We’re talking about a mistake by the striker, but at this level, it’s much more than a mistake; it’s a truly appalling foul that sends chills down your spine and that we absolutely don’t want to see on the football pitch. The good news, of course, is that Chevalier was able to finish the match.
Flops –
A worn-out team…
It’s difficult to single out anyone; the midfield and the defense struggled. Mistakes piled up, and doubts crept in. Of course, this nervousness wasn’t helped by the performance of the attacking players in this match. We saw too many shortcomings, too few chances, too little creativity. Almost everyone failed (except for those in the top spots and perhaps Zaire-Emery). One might think this is worrying.
The way they defended on set pieces was more than inadequate. Their attacking technique would have given players like Ronaldinho, Ronaldo (R9), and their ilk a run for their money. The fabulous midfield of last season has turned into a very average one.
We want to forget this match, but it’s clear that Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, and Ousmane Dembélé (who came on at the end of the match) have nothing to worry about; no one particularly shone during their absence. When they return, they will reclaim their places without having to break a sweat against the competition.
The refereeing
A yellow card for the foul on Chevalier, a goal even though Balogun was clearly involved in Minamino’s goal, even if he didn’t touch the ball. That’s a lot to swallow for a PSG side that was already struggling.
We mustn’t use that as an excuse. At the end of the season, every team will be able to complain about the refereeing, criticize the lack of consistency, but while Paris should have had an early advantage (which would have helped), PSG should have played much better, even with a man advantage. We need to stay focused on what we can control, and for the Parisian players, red card or not, they should have won. That wasn’t the case.
