Paris fall in fiery San Siro
Paris Saint-Germain lost their UEFA Champions League Matchday 4 clash away to AC Milan - a match as spectacular as it was hard-fought. Here's a look back at how our players gave their all in an electric Italian atmosphere!
On Tuesday evening, our Parisians crossed the Alps to take on a footballing institution. Because Milan has a special place in the history of Paris Saint-Germain, this trip to northern Italy was a special one. Milan-Paris is an invitation to the very highest level, a summit meeting between two of football's finest competitors - and also a perilous clash. A look at Luis Enrique's starting eleven was enough to bear this out.
It has to be said that the stage had been set for some time: two weeks after our Parisians' authoritative 3-0 victory at the Parc des Princes, we had to expect to see the Rossoneri looking for some payback. Buoyed by their thirst for revenge and their mocking banners, Stefano Pioli's men had every intention of giving a better account of themselves this time around. And that's exactly what they did, from the very first minutes, as they came looking for Donnarumma in goal. Undaunted by the hostile atmosphere at the San Siro, Les Rouge et Bleu put on an entertaining display, offering up a full-field ping-pong match of rare intensity. And which quickly produced goals... for both sides.
As if on cue, it was our very own Milan who broke the deadlock in Milan. From a corner deflected by captain Marquinhos, the Slovakian giant stooped to dive a low header home and silence the San Siro (0-1, 8')! The home side's fight-back was not long in coming, however, as Rafael Leao's acrobatic overhead kick from a well-worked counter-attack brought the scores level (1-1, 12'). An equaliser that added balance to the excitement and power of the first half. And every incursion brought its own dose of thrills, as evidenced by the 22 shots in the first half alone.
After the break, the situation remained unchanged. But the Rossoneri caught their visitors cold, Olivier Giroud taking advantage of a moment of confusion to regain the lead (2-1, 50'). Hungry to hit back, the Parisians had no intention of dropping the pressure. Full-blooded challenges, relentless running, beautifully worked passes and lightning runs: they had to combine all these ingredients to try and get back into the match, which was becoming increasingly electric. From Lee Kang-in's incisive presence to Kylian Mbappé's bursts of danger, Les Rouge et Bleu gave everything they had to try and get back into the game. But the ball just wouldn't go in, as Lee proved when his superbly worked effort clattered off the woodwork (87').
In this hard-fought encounter, Les Rouge et Bleu were unable to break down the Milanese at home. As the capital club can now see more than ever, nothing can be taken for granted in this highly competitive group. There will be two tough remaining fixtures, against Newcastle at the Parc des Princes and away to Dortmund, to prove themselves. By then, the league will also be back in full swing, with a big game against Reims coming up on Saturday. The marathon continues.