Lionel Messi scored a sensational bicycle-kick purpose as Paris Saint-Germain started the defence of their Ligue 1 title with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Clermont on the Stade Gabriel Montpied on Saturday.
Messi netted a brace to go along with objectives from Neymar, Achraf Hakimi and Marquinhos as they adopted up final weekend’s 4-0 Trophee des Champions victory over Nantes with one other simple win.
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It took solely 9 minutes for them to get in entrance as Messi brilliantly flicked the ball into the trail of Neymar, who completed a wonderful transfer.
Hakimi scored halfway by means of the primary half from a lightening counter-attack, earlier than Marquinhos headed Neymar’s free kick into the online.
Neymar then offered a fourth for Messi, earlier than the Argentine ahead capped off a wonderful efficiency with a shocking purpose, chesting a move from Leandro Paredes and offering a bicycle-kick end.
PSG have been with out the third member of their star ahead trio, Kylian Mbappe attributable to damage. New coach Christophe Galtier handed Ligue 1 debuts for PSG to summer time arrivals Vitinha, Hugo Ekitike and Nordi Mukiele.
There was additionally a debut for Warren Zaire-Emery, who, aged simply 16 years, 4 months and 29 days, grew to become the youngest participant ever to characteristic for PSG in a aggressive match.
“Plenty of satisfaction, initially with the win,” Galtier stated afterward. “Successful the sport and scoring 5 objectives is necessary, as is just not conceding any probabilities and sustaining excessive ranges all through, even when the gaps have been getting bigger.
“I appreciated the best way that the staff expressed itself in assault, after all. But additionally when the block wanted to place within the staff effort to win the ball again. There was loads of effort put in for one and different, and placing in that effort for teammates is one thing that we’re actually insisting on rather a lot.
“I do know that I’ve a really gifted staff with gamers who’re very gifted, however they should play as a staff, and that should occur over the entire of a match, after which all through the season.”
Earlier, Monaco gained 2-1 at Racing Strasbourg after the house aspect had a final gasp equaliser dominated out by VAR.
Monaco, who play away within the Champions League preliminary spherical towards PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday, went 2-0 up by means of Krepin Diatta and Sofiane Diop earlier than Habib Diallo pulled one again within the sixty fifth minute.
Diallo thought he had one other, two minutes into stoppage time, when he headed dwelling however staff mate Alexander Djiku was discovered to be offside as he made the help and the strike was dominated out at hand Monaco victory.
