Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) suffered a 1-0 defeat to AS Monaco on Saturday, marking their second loss of the season out of 14 matches—more than any they faced last season as defending Ligue 1 champions.
The only goal came from Monaco’s Japanese striker, Takumi Minamino, who scored midway through the second half while PSG displayed a notably subpar performance.
PSG manager Luis Enrique remarked, “It’s tough to maintain consistency when individual errors occur. This was our lowest point so far this season.”
“Monaco outperformed us. It was a very disappointing night,” he added.
Midfielder Vicinha, who netted a remarkable hat-trick in the Champions League earlier in the week, struggled to make an impact against Monaco’s diligent midfield.
Enrique further stated, “Winning is impossible when the game is riddled with inaccuracies and errors. We must accept the level of our performance today.”
Minamino capitalized on a counterattack in the 69th minute, skillfully receiving a pass from Alexander Golovin and sending the ball past keeper Chevalier.
Monaco’s Lamine Camara was fortunate not to receive an early yellow card for a reckless challenge on goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, where he kicked the ball and subsequently made contact with Chevalier’s ankle.
Regarding the controversial incident involving Chevalier, Enrique commented, “Lucas was very lucky today. I don’t want to elaborate further, but what happened was unbelievable.” Chevalier later made a notable one-handed save against Minamino’s volley in the latter part of the first half.
Monaco’s Thilo Köhler was sent off in the 80th minute after a video review revealed he had pushed a PSG player from behind. Former Monaco star Paul Pogba came on as a substitute towards the end of the match.
Despite the loss, PSG remains at the top of the Ligue 1 table, as Marseille was unable to capitalize on their chance to overtake them, thanks to Santiago Hidalgo’s stoppage-time goal that secured a 2-2 draw against Toulouse.
However, Lens could potentially take the lead in the standings with a win over Angers on Sunday.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report
Fan Take: This match highlights the unpredictability of soccer, as even dominant teams can falter against determined opponents. Fans should pay attention to PSG’s struggles, as this could signify a shift in power dynamics within Ligue 1 and enhance the competition in the league.
