Ranking PSG's 5 best players against Bordeaux | Ligue 1 2021-22
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) bounced back from their midweek Champions League exit with a commanding 3-0 win over Bordeaux in Ligue 1 on Sunday afternoon.
At the Parc des Princes, the Parisians were not given the warmest of welcomes. Boos and jeers rang around the stadium after their crushing 3-1 (3-2 on aggregate) defeat to Real Madrid and subsequent Champions League Round of 16 elimination. Lionel Messi and Neymar, in particular, received a lot of flak early on, with fans booing them every time they touched the ball.
Fortunately, the league leaders remained unfazed by the coldness of their supporters and put their best foot forward. Having faced a couple of scares in the opening 10 minutes, PSG pulled themselves in front, courtesy of Kylian Mbappe’s 24th-minute strike. Bordeaux played a low block for the next 21 minutes, not allowing the hosts to run rampant.
Seven minutes into the second half, Neymar doubled Les Parisiens' advantage, applying a poacher’s finish to Achraf Hakimi’s low cross. Nine minutes later, Leandro Paredes joined the party, beating a couple of defenders and dispatching a neat strike to find the top-right corner.
In the 87th minute, Messi came close to increasing his goal tally for his new employers but was ultimately denied by the post.
Here are five players who helped PSG to a comfortable win over Bordeaux on Sunday afternoon:
#5 Marquinhos
Paris Saint-Germain’s defender-in-chief was all over the place against Real Madrid on Wednesday night. Back in Ligue 1, he looked a lot more comfortable and kept things tight at the back without breaking a sweat.
The Brazilian cleared the ball with ease, immaculately distributed long-balls, and went for tackles without hesitation.
Marquinhos before Real Madrid vs PSG Second Leg in the Round of 16 had registered 0 mistakes leading to an opponent’s shot in his Champions League career. His first one was scored by Karim Benzema and knocked PSG out of the competition.
Wrong Place, Wrong Time 😬 https://t.co/9OX2KEyjaL
Over the course of the 90, the skipper won all seven of his duels, registered three clearances, attempted four tackles, and accurately dispatched six of his seven long balls.
On Sunday, he also completed 70 passes with 95.9 percent accuracy, only ceding possession three times.
#4 Neymar
Having failed to inspire a Paris Saint-Germain comeback in Madrid, Neymar returned home to recover some confidence. The Brazilian was subjected to jeers from the get-go but did not let the discouraging voices affect his gameplay.
He combined well with Mbappe and Messi, tried to help his midfielders by dropping deep, and bagged his side’s second goal on Sunday.
Neymar Jr at PSG:
📊 Neymar Jr at PSG:
136 games
92 goals
51 assists
143 G/A ✨
All this while suffering countless injuries, getting booed by some PSG fans and being the team's main source of creativity !!
@neymarjr | #neymarjr 🙏💔 https://t.co/6d8Y2cCvcc
In the 52nd minute, Achraf Hakimi was played on by Messi down the right-hand channel. The Morocco international spotted Neymar in a favorable position inside the area and squared it off.
The 30-year-old calmly slotted it home from the six-yard box.