Angel Di Maria brace condemns lacklustre Real Madrid to defeat
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Updated 18/09/2019 at 22:31 GMT+1
Champions League Group Stage, Parc des Princes - Paris Saint-Germain 3 (Di María 14, 33 Meunier 90) Real Madrid 0
Angel Di Maria of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) (C) celebrates his second goal during the UEFA Champions League group A match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid at Parc des Princes on September 18, 2019 in Paris, France
Image credit: Getty Images
Angel Di Maria scored a delightful double against his former side as Paris Saint-Germain thoroughly outclassed Real Madrid in their Champions League opener.
There was no Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani or Sergio Ramos on show as two European heavyweights went head to head at the Parc des Princes.
And in their absence, it was Di Maria who took centre stage, beating Thibaut Courtois at his near post for his first before curling in a delightful second in the first half.
Gareth Bale saw a majestic goal ruled out moments later, having handled the ball in the build-up but that – and a disallowed Karim Benzema goal – was as close as the visitors came.
It was ultimately 10 shots but none on target for Real, and Zinedine Zidane’s return to the competition he loves got even worse when Thomas Meunier rolled in a third in second-half injury time.
TALKING POINT
A Real shocker – Losing away to their biggest Group A rivals will not overly hit Real’s hopes of reaching the knockouts, but the manner of their defeat will have concerned their demanding fans. Porous in defence, toothless in attack.
And don’t forget Sergio Ramos, suspended because he had the cheek to think Real would brush Ajax aside last season, who should have been there to steady the ship.
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Toni Kroos of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League match between Paris Saint Germain v Real Madrid at the Parc des Princes on September 18, 2019 in Paris France
Image credit: Getty Images
MAN OF THE MATCH
Angel Di Maria – Two goals. Too good. The Argentine was sublime against his old side. He could have had a hat-trick had he gone for power instead of a chip on the hour-mark, and he could have had an assist moments later. Idrissa Gueye also deserves a mention for commanding the midfield.
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Paris Saint Germain midfielder Angel DI MARIA celebrates his goal during the UEFA Champions League Group A match between Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid at Parc des Princes on September 18, 2019 in Paris, France.
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
PSG: Keylor Navas 6, Meunier 8, Thiago Silva 7, Kimpembe 7, Bernat 8, Verratti 7, Marquinhos 7, Gueye 9, Di María 9, Icardi 6, Sarabia 6. Subs: Choupo-Moting 6, Herrera 6, Diallo N/A
Real Madrid: Courtois 4, Carvajal 4, Militao 4, Varane 4, Mendy 5, Casemiro 5, Kroos 5, James 5, Bale 6, Benzema 6, Hazard 3. Subs: Vazquez 6, Jovic 6, Vinicius Jr 6
KEY MOMENTS
14’ – GOAL PSG! Oh Courtois.... Keylor Navas down the other end will be smiling inside after the Real goalkeeper is beaten at his near post by Di Maria's effort from Bernat's cross.
33’ – A SECOND FOR PSG! It really is a lovely goal from Di Maria, who controls it some 20 yards out before curling a beauty into the bottom corner. Courtois no chance.
37’ – VAR DENIES BALE! Bale is denied what would have been an incredible goal. The Welshman handled the ball in the build-up, barely brushing it in truth, before chipping Navas with a volley from the edge of the area.
60’ - Hat-trick..... no! Di Maria goes for the dink when he should have gone for power! Again PSG cut Real open but one-on-one with Courtois the Argentine, this time, makes the wrong choice.
79’ - JUST WIDE! Big chance goes begging as Benzema narrowly heads the ball wide of the far post. He has his head in his hands. They needed that.
90+1’ – A THIRD FOR PSG! Real have been well and truly embarrassed here. Meunier starts the move, plays it over to Bernat, who passes it back instead of shooting, and Meunier rolls in PSG's third.
KEY STATS
- Real Madrid have failed to register a single shot on target in a Champions League game for the first time since 2003/04.
- Real Madrid have lost their opening Champions League game for the first time since September 2006 against Lyon (2-0).
- This 3-0 is the biggest Real Madrid defeat in Champions League under Zinédine Zidane.
- Paris SG have won their first game against Real Madrid in Champions League, after failing to do it in their previous three (D1 L2).
- Under Zinédine Zidane, Real Madrid have failed to score in a Champions League game for the first time since April 2016 against Manchester City.
- PSG’s Angel Di Maria is the third player in Champions League history to score at least twice in a game against both Real Madrid and Barcelona, after Mário Jardel and Andriy Shevchenko.
- PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas has kept a clean sheet in a game against Real Madrid for the first time, after conceding three goals in each of his first two games (both for Levante in LaLiga).
- Only Espanyol’s Diego Lopez (10) has conceded more goals than Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois (9) this season in all competitions among all LaLiga keepers.
- PSG have started with more Spaniards (2) in their starting lineup than Real Madrid (1) and Real Madrid with more Frenchmen (3) than PSG (1).
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