PSG 2-3 Clermont Foot: 5 talking points as Messi's farewell ruined by incredible Lancers comeback | Ligue 1 2022-23
PSG were beaten 3-2 by Clermont Foot at the Parc des Princes on the final day of the Ligue 1 season on Saturday (June 3).
Having retained their top-flight crown, the Parisians were looking to end their campaign on a high but slumped to an unexpected loss following a sloppy display. After the Lancers had an early goal disallowed, PSG raced to a 2-0 lead inside 21 minutes through outgoing defender Sergio Ramos and a penalty from Kylian Mbappe.
Johan Gastien then capitalised on a poor backpass by Marco Verratti to reduce the deficit. Grejohn Kyei missed a penalty for Clermont by firing his effort awfully wide off the post.
However, in the first added minute of the opening stanza, Mehdi Zeffane made it 2-2 with a close range finish after Gianluigi Donnarumma had parried Muhammad Cham's cross into his path.
Following an exciting first half, PSG looked to regain their lead after the break. Mbappe created a wonderful chance for Lionel Messi in the 54th mintue, but the Argentine contrived to waste it by firing it inexplicably over the bar.
Clermont punished PSG for that with a third of the evening as Kyei redeemed himself with a goal that made it 3-2 for his side, completing the turnaround. Messi saw a wonderful free-kick saved by Clermont goalkeeper Mory Diaw in stoppage time as the 35-year-old couldn't find a goal in his final appearance for PSG.
On that note, here are the five talking points from a riveting clash:
#5 Farewell goal for Ramos, but not Messi
It was a night of farewells in the PSG camp, as Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos played their final game for the club.
Only one of them scored, and surprise surprise, it wasn't Messi, but Ramos, who opened the scoring for the Parsians in the 16th minute. A corner routine saw Vitinha play a cross across the face of the goal, and Ramos was on hand to head it home.
Messi, meanwhile, struggled to shine on his PSG swansong, firing a glorious chance over the bar when set up nicely by Mbappe in the second half. That miss would prove costly as Clermont scored just minutes later to go in front.
Eventually, Ramos and Messi's farewell games were ruined by a spirited Clermont side, who picked up a surprise win.
#4 Clermont's madcap opening half
Clermont Foot made the game exciting with their surprise press and even found the back of the net twice to pull level. The visitors, though, had a goal disallowed and saw a penalty missed.
Just five minutes into kick-off, Grejohn Kyei had the ball in the back of the net as Clermont appeared to have taken a surprise lead at the Parc des Princes. However, it was ruled out following a VAR review.
PSG raced to a 2-0 lead, but less than 180 seconds after Mbappe's penalty, Johan Gastien pulled one back for Clermont. The Lancers then won a penalty in the 36th minute, but Kyei fired it awfully wide of the post.
It seemed like a huge chance missed, but the visitors found themselves level in the added minutes of the opening half. Mehdi Zeffane pounced on a loose ball after Gianluigi Donnarumma had spilled Muhammad Cham's shot.
#3 PSG's shockingly poor home record continues
This was PSG's fourth defeat in last six home games, a concerning record that Christophe Galtier will have to address next season when they look to retain their crown for a third straight year.
Rennes, Lyon, Laurient and now Clermont Foot, all got three points at the Parc des Princes in the last three months, with PSG even failing to score against the first two.
Fortunately for them, the holders held a commanding lead over their rivals by then, so these defeats mattered little even as Lens kept trimming the gap at the top and finished just a point behind them.
However, PSG may not get so lucky every time and must improve their home record next season to avoid relinquishing their title.
#2 Clermont capitalise on more PSG sloppiness to complete turnaround
The Parisians had squandered their two-goal lead in the opening half courtesy of some sloppy showing and a huge individual mistake from Marcio Verratti, but there was more misery to follow after the break.
Clermont once again worked their way down the left before Elbasan Rashani whipped in a delicious cross for Kyei to apply the finishing touches as the Parisians were caught asleep at the wheel.
This is another area which the French champions need to fix in the summer. With Ramos leaving, there's a space for a new centre-back, and the club will be wise to invest in a new one during the summer.
#1 Kylian Mbappe wins Golden Boot
Kylian Mbappe drew the curtains on another prolific campaign with a goal and subsequently won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot.
He came into the game with 28 goals, one ahead of his closest rival Alexandre Lacazette, who failed to bag score for Lyon against Rennes on the final day. With Mbappe dispatching a penalty, he increased his cushion and eventually sealed his name on the top-scorer award for the fifth year running.
He joins Carlos Bianchi, Delio Onnis and Jean-Pierre Papin for winning it the most number of times in Ligue 1 history. No one, though, has won it five in a row, like Mbappe. A record for the ages.