Paris Saint-Germain showcased their dominance by defeating the Rhone-Alpes team 4-1, all while the squad grappled with the internal issues involving Jean-Michel Aulas and John Textor. Lyon finds themselves at the league’s bottom, whereas PSG follows closely behind Monaco in the second position. In the 4th minute, Kylian Mbappé initiated the scoring by converting a penalty kick, awarded after Corentin Tolisso fouled Manuel Ugarte.
Paris Saint-Germain seems to have hit its stride, and Olympique Lyonnais had a firsthand experience of this on Sunday when they suffered a 4-1 defeat at home, witnessing PSG’s exceptional level of play. With a starting lineup reminiscent of the one that secured victory against Lens (3-1), PSG, under the guidance of their new Spanish coach, Luis Enrique, set a high-intensity pace from the very beginning, driven by the principles of their recently appointed manager. In the 4th minute, Kylian Mbappé initiated the scoring by converting a penalty kick, awarded after Corentin Tolisso fouled Manuel Ugarte.
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— H.🕊 (@PsgKD7) September 4, 2023
This marked the start of an incessant offensive showcase by the Parisian side, with Achraf Hakimi (20th minute) and Marco Asensio (38th minute) both adding to the scoreline. Kylian Mbappé, a constant threat in PSG’s attacking formation, secured a brace just before halftime (45th+2 minute), solidifying victory for the team from the capital.
Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso, who was responsible for the foul that led to the penalty, made amends by scoring a goal for Lyon in the 74th minute, following a collision between Warren Zaïre-Emery and Nicolas Tagliafico. This was the only blip on PSG’s otherwise impressive performance and occurred after the 17-year-old midfielder had pulled one back for Lyon.
In the second half, Luis Enrique and his team adjusted their approach to prioritize managing their physical exertion. The Spanish coach took advantage of the opportunity to make strategic substitutions, replacing the young talent known as “Titi” with the recently acquired Italian player, Cher Ndour. Most notably, Bradley Barcola was introduced into the match. Barcola, who had recently joined PSG and was donning their colors for the first time, received a somewhat unfriendly reception from his former club.
Despite their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Lyon demonstrated resilience in the second half. They created numerous scoring opportunities, with Gianluigi Donnarumma making crucial saves against Rayan Cherki (31st minute), Corentin Tolisso (34th minute), Ernest Nuamah (47th minute), and Jeffinho (88th minute). After this disappointing loss at their home stadium, Olympique Lyonnais now occupies the bottom position in the Ligue 1 standings, having garnered just one point from four games.
Lyon’s challenges extend beyond their performance on the pitch. The dispute between former president Jean-Michel Aulas and the new owner, John Textor, has escalated into a legal conflict, involving accusations of deception on one side and a defamation lawsuit and asset seizures on the other.
There was anticipation regarding the reception Aulas would receive at the stadium. However, the banners displayed by the Virage Nord ultras were not aimed at him. Instead, they were directed towards Bradley Barcola, the young winger who was transferred to PSG during the final days of the transfer window from OL, as well as coach Laurent Blanc.
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