On Wednesday evening, Paris Saint-Germain drew 2-2 against AS Monaco in the second leg of their 2025-2026 Champions League playoff tie at the Parc des Princes and qualified for the Round of 16 (5-4 on aggregate). Here are the highlights and lowlights of the evening.
Highs
Qualification for the Round of 16.
We won’t focus solely on this aspect of the match, despite the expression, but it’s still a crucial and significant point: PSG is in the Round of 16. This is much better than being eliminated and offers hope for the future.
Désiré Doué as a game-changer.
Désiré Doué (20-year-old midfielder/forward) didn’t deliver a masterful performance. However, he worked tirelessly and used every option to help PSG break the press and create danger. In the center, on the left, on the right, dribbling, passing, and shooting, he was everywhere to pull PSG out of their slump. He even provided the decisive assist for Marquinhos’ equalizer (the 31-year-old center-back and captain).
Lows –
A sluggish PSG.
PSG started this match far too calmly. As if they weren’t really playing in the Champions League, or perhaps they already saw themselves qualified. Monaco came out with much more determination and intensity. Even though Paris had regained control of the ball at that point, seeing ASM lead at halftime wasn’t surprising.
And who gives themselves a scare.
At the start of the second half, the Parisians displayed much more focus and desire. This was enough to gain the upper hand against Monaco, draw a red card, and take the lead. It then seemed possible to control the game. But PSG’s intensity dropped again, while Monaco seemed almost to have given up. Little by little, ASM was revived by the Parisians’ lack of bite.
This continued until a comeback attempt, which would have been very painful for Paris. This “management,” whether physical or mental, was very dangerous. There will likely be no more room for error after this. Let’s hope it was a way of conserving energy for the end of the season.
