A successful first outing for Galtier's men

Ten days after the return from holiday for the Red and Blue, the training centre hosted the very first friendly match of the summer this Friday against Quevilly. For his very first match in charge of the Parisians, Christophe Galtier fielded a mixed starting team made up of both young players from the academy and regular starters. The pairing of Messi and Icardi, for example, led the attack alongside Arnaud Kalimuendo, as well as the new recruit Vitinha alongside Paredes in midfield.

Against the Ligue 2 side, the players from the capital showed their intentions from the outset, displaying a desire to impose an intense press. Leo Messi's crosses, Vitinha's silky passes, Juan Bernat's runs down the left flank and Kalimuendo's bursts up front showed the Parisians in good form in the first half and always looking to get on the ball. 

Olivier Echouafni's men resisted for a long time, forming a solid block to contain the Parisian attacks. But after a short break to cool off from the intense heat in the French capital, Galtier's players found a new lease of life, which was rewarded by a penalty awarded to Leo Messi and converted by Sergio Ramos (1-0, 33').

The second half of the match saw a complete change of the starting line-up, a new formation and good character from the players, confirming the mood in the squad. The young Gassama made another breakthrough with a superb shot not long after the restart (2-0, 54').

A nice appetizer before the departure for Japan on Saturday, where the summer tour promises some treats, with no less than three friendly matches. The objective: to get the squad ready for the Trophée des Champions in Tel Aviv on 31 July.