While Kylian Mbappe started the next chapter in his glittering career, playing a full 90 minutes for Real Madrid in a 1-1 draw away to Real Mallorca, his old PSG mates got off to a flyer with a 4-1 destruction of Le Havre on the Ligue 1 opening weekend.
Luis Enrique’s team are SBOTOP favourites to retain their title and they didn’t seem to miss their former talisman one bit as striker Lee Kang-in scored the opener with just three minutes on the clock. The Parisiens were well in control with over 75 per cent possession and ten shots on target but they had a jolt when Gautier Lloris equalised for Le Havre early in the second half.
The hosts’ chances of hanging on were slim and, with very little sight of the ball as PSG recorded a passing accuracy of 93.4 per cent, they were eventually worn down and a late onslaught with goals from Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Randal Kolo Muani gave the champions a thumping victory.
Next up for PSG it’s Montpellier at the Parc des Princes next Friday and in the meantime the club is working on a deal to bring Atalanta’s star striker Ademola Lookman to Paris. After starring with a hat-trick as La Dea won the Europa Cup final against Bayer Leverkusen, Lookman has become the favourite to win the 2024 African Player of the Year award, and he was not in Atalanta’s squad for their Serie A opener. But valuations between the two clubs are far apart at the moment, PSG apparently offering 30m Euros for the forward, who Atalanta value at between 50m and 60m.
In terms of outgoings PSG are yet to agree a deal for Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte to move to Manchester United. Talks seem to have stalled in recent days and the 23 year old is still very much a PSG player as the Red Devils have work to do to reduce their midfield stock, with no offers as yet for Casemiro, and Scott McTominay still at Old Trafford.
High Five for Olympique Marseilles
The early Ligue 1 2024 betting odds rate OM as the second favourites to win the league and they too stormed to a big win as former Manchester United bad boy Mason Greenwood scored twice in a 5-1 hammering of Brest. Les Olympiens finished eighth last season and, with former Brighton and Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi now at the helm, ambitions are high at the club. 22 year old Greenwood signed in a £27m move from Old Trafford and he opened the scoring on just three minutes, with a powerful run and a clinical finish. He bagged his second from the penalty spot after Luis Henrique had made it 2-0.
Brest were the surprise package of Ligue 1 last season, losing just twice on the way to a third place finish and Mahdi Camara clawed a goal back on the stroke of half time. OM put their foot down in the second half and a second for Henrique and a penalty goal for another debutant Elye Wahi made it a resounding win.
Greenwood won praise from his new manager who has given him a chance after he departed Manchester under a cloud, having serious charges against him which were dropped in 2023. He was on loan at Getafe last season but, despite criticism from the mayor of Marseilles, De Zerbi was happy to bring Greenwood to the South of France and, so far, his decision has paid off.
In other Ligue 1 2024 news, two more of the expected chasing pack picked up wins on the opening weekend as AS Monaco beat St Etienne 1-0 while 2021 champions Lille won 2-0 away to Reims.
Lyon looking for a return on investment
After a period of serious turmoil Olympique Lyonnais roared back in the second half of he 2023/24 campaign and they have invested heavily over the summer in a statement of intent to kick on. Lyon have spent over 100m Euros on incomings; centre back Moussa Niakhate arriving in a 32m Euros move from Nottingham Forest and centre forward Georges Mikautadze from Metz, while West Ham United winger Said Benrahma has made his loan move to Lyon permanent at a cost of 15m.
All three played a full match in Lyon’s opener against Stade Rennais, but it didn’t go to plan when the Brittany club ran out 3-0 winners as Benjamin Bourigeaud, Amine Gouiri and Henrik Meister all scored for the hosts.
Lyon will likely balance their books a little in the coming days with the expected departure of 21 year old attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki. He has just returned from holiday after representing France at the Olympic Games and Cherki has not been re-integrated with the first team squad. His expected move to Borussia Dortmund has fallen through but with Lyon hoping to recoup around 100m Euros before the close of the window Cherki is one asset the club is ready to move on, with PSG among the clubs interested.
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