This Saturday evening, Paris Saint-Germain won 3-1 against Brest on Matchday 4 of Ligue 1 2024-2025 at the Parc des Princes. We take a look at some of the highlights and lowlights of the victory.
Tops –
❤️ Ousmane Dembélé – The great match
He had a lot of chances, he tried his luck, he scored, he dribbled, he put the opposition defence to the sword. What we saw was a great Dembélé. He also scored twice and was decisive in the second goal. His “face” has changed, he’s more “selfish”, more focused on the goal and the work he has to do.
Constant pressure
Yes, this PSG has grown up. Collectively, this team suffocates its opponents. When they lose the ball, the players close the funnel and their opponents have little choice.
PSG picked up a lot of balls, very high up, very quickly, and inevitably this was felt in the match, where Brest logically lost the battle. We want to see that every match, and that’s what seems to be happening.
PSG concede few chances
Where the progress appears phenomenal is in the way matches feel. PSG’s ability to score and be dangerous is almost “normal” and expected.
On the other hand, PSG were not used to being so strong defensively. Despite Nuno Mendes’s silly foul, Brest had very little to play with. There was victory, style, goals and a solid defensive base.
Flops –
😡 Barcola the non-match
We’re not going to blame him, but he missed his game. Not in it, he hardly managed anything. We’re expecting him in the Champions League later this week. No player can perform every match.
Fortunately, even if he wasn’t as good, he didn’t handicap his team, and that’s a big step forward compared to last year, when a player could upset the balance when he wasn’t as good. Barcola did his job, without being (for once) transcendent.
Nuno Mendes – From laughter to tears
He’s so strong when he wants to be, it’s hard to forgive him for his rookie mistake. His shirt pulling is useless, Ajorque isn’t even that well placed. This is a major handicap for PSG, as a penalty is almost an easy goal for a team that hasn’t had any clear-cut chances.
Nuno Mendes has to be able to stay focused throughout the match, and that also involves his choices. Because at the same time, he’s capable of hurting people with his sharp runs and attacking passes.
