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DPA
Berlin
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe starred as Paris Saint-Germain returned to winning ways on the road in Ligue 1 with a tightly contested 3-2 victory at Bordeaux on Saturday.
Lionel Messi was again absent through injury, though the other two stars of Mauricio Pochettino’s deadly attacking trident combined to brilliant effect.
Neymar had not scored from open play in Ligue 1 since doing so against Lens in May, but ended that run with two sublime first-half strikes.
Mbappe - who had teed up Neymar’s double - got in on the act midway through the second half to ensure late goals from Alberth Elis and M’Baye Niang were not enough for Bordeaux.
With Nice not in action until Sunday, PSG sit clear at the top with 11 wins from 13 games. After a 2-0 defeat at Rennes and a 0-0 draw at Marseille, Saturday’s result also saw the capital club avoid a run of three away games without scoring - a streak they last went on in 2010.
Bordeaux have not won any of their last 13 Ligue 1 games against PSG.
Pochettino praise
for Neymar
Mauricio Pochettino praised Neymar after his two-goal display as the Brazilian starred in the absence of Lionel Messi away from home.
Neymar scored only his third and fourth Ligue 1 goals from open play in 2021 (eight goals in total), while taking his tally to seven top-flight goals against Bordeaux - his favourite Ligue 1 opponent.
“I think Ney (Neymar) played a good game. I think that overall, also scoring two goals it is noteworthy,” PSG head coach Pochettino told reporters.
“It is clear that both him and Kylian (Mbappe), who have scored the goals, it is important for our offensive players, of course, that they touch, that they were close to the goal and that they scored.”
With one goal and two assists, Mbappe has been involved in three goals in the same Ligue 1 game for only the second time in 2021, after January against Montpellier (two goals and one assist).
Mbappe scored his first goal from open play in the top-flight since September (against Clermont), ending his longest such streak of his career in Ligue 1 (23 - five shots on target).
PSG, who led 3-0 with 27 minutes remaining before Bordeaux scored twice, are 10 points clear of Lens atop the Ligue 1 standings after 13 games entering the international break.
“The explanation is clear, we have made two mistakes and we have conceded two goals,” Pochettino added.
“The goals come from mistakes or the success of the opponents. In this case it was a mix of everything, the opponent’s success and our mistakes.
“We must have much more strength in defending these types of situations. It is clear that with the 3-0, Bordeaux attacked, creating some chances, especially from corners, but the game was controlled. A pity that we finished 3-2 because the team had played a good game up to that point.”
Berlin
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe starred as Paris Saint-Germain returned to winning ways on the road in Ligue 1 with a tightly contested 3-2 victory at Bordeaux on Saturday.
Lionel Messi was again absent through injury, though the other two stars of Mauricio Pochettino’s deadly attacking trident combined to brilliant effect.
Neymar had not scored from open play in Ligue 1 since doing so against Lens in May, but ended that run with two sublime first-half strikes.
Mbappe - who had teed up Neymar’s double - got in on the act midway through the second half to ensure late goals from Alberth Elis and M’Baye Niang were not enough for Bordeaux.
With Nice not in action until Sunday, PSG sit clear at the top with 11 wins from 13 games. After a 2-0 defeat at Rennes and a 0-0 draw at Marseille, Saturday’s result also saw the capital club avoid a run of three away games without scoring - a streak they last went on in 2010.
Bordeaux have not won any of their last 13 Ligue 1 games against PSG.
Pochettino praise
for Neymar
Mauricio Pochettino praised Neymar after his two-goal display as the Brazilian starred in the absence of Lionel Messi away from home.
Neymar scored only his third and fourth Ligue 1 goals from open play in 2021 (eight goals in total), while taking his tally to seven top-flight goals against Bordeaux - his favourite Ligue 1 opponent.
“I think Ney (Neymar) played a good game. I think that overall, also scoring two goals it is noteworthy,” PSG head coach Pochettino told reporters.
“It is clear that both him and Kylian (Mbappe), who have scored the goals, it is important for our offensive players, of course, that they touch, that they were close to the goal and that they scored.”
With one goal and two assists, Mbappe has been involved in three goals in the same Ligue 1 game for only the second time in 2021, after January against Montpellier (two goals and one assist).
Mbappe scored his first goal from open play in the top-flight since September (against Clermont), ending his longest such streak of his career in Ligue 1 (23 - five shots on target).
PSG, who led 3-0 with 27 minutes remaining before Bordeaux scored twice, are 10 points clear of Lens atop the Ligue 1 standings after 13 games entering the international break.
“The explanation is clear, we have made two mistakes and we have conceded two goals,” Pochettino added.
“The goals come from mistakes or the success of the opponents. In this case it was a mix of everything, the opponent’s success and our mistakes.
“We must have much more strength in defending these types of situations. It is clear that with the 3-0, Bordeaux attacked, creating some chances, especially from corners, but the game was controlled. A pity that we finished 3-2 because the team had played a good game up to that point.”
