Despite missing some key players and new additions, Paris Saint-Germain got off to a flying start to the new Ligue 1 campaign. Last season’s runners-up claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory at newly-promoted Troyes on Saturday evening in their league curtain-raiser.
It wasn’t plain sailing for PSG by any stretch of the imagination, though, as they had to cope with an early disadvantage. Oualid El Hajjam raised above his marker to meet Dylan Chambost’s inch-perfect corner-kick delivery to break the deadlock nine minutes into the game.
But Troyes’ opener just infuriated the visitors. It took PSG ten minutes to draw level on the hosts, with the most expensive summer signing getting off the mark in the 19th minute. Indeed, Achraf Hakimi strolled past the opposition backline to link up with Ander Herrera’s lofted ball and hammer it past the keeper.
Hakimi played a prominent role in Inter’s title-winning Serie A campaign last season. However, he had to depart the Giuseppe Meazza amid the Italian champions’ growing financial issues. It looks like he has already hit his stride in the new surroundings.
Barely two minutes after Hakimi’s strike, another former Inter player managed to trouble the scoreboard. Who else but Mauro Icardi. The Argentine latched onto Kylian Mbappe’s back pass and sent the ball into the net with the outside of his boot.
Even though PSG spent most of the second half trying to endure Troyes’ siege, Mauricio Pochettino’s side grabbed all three points at the Stade de l’Aube.
While Georginio Wijanldum and Hakimi made their Ligue 1 debut tonight, PSG fans will have to wait for a while to see Gianluigi Donnarumma and Sergio Ramos in action. The Spanish defender is on the sidelines due to injury, while Les Parisiens gave the Italian shot-stopper an extended rest following his commitments at Euro 2020.
Although Keylor Navas put on another eye-catching display, Donnarumma is likely to take his post between the sticks as early as next weekend. The 22-year-old joined PSG earlier in the summer after running down his contract at Milan.
In addition to the newcomers, Pochettino also had to make it out without the likes of Neymar, Angel Di Maria, Marquinhos, and Marco Verratti.
While the first three still have some spare time after taking part in the Copa America 2021, Verratti is on vacation after helping Italy lift the European Championship title. The combative midfielder was vital to Roberto Mancini’s set-up at the Euros and should be equally significant to Pochettino once he returns to action.
Verratti has been an omnipresent figure at the Parc des Princes since arriving from Pescara in 2012. After experiencing a somewhat injury-riddled 2020/21 campaign, he will be keen to regain his household status in Paris this time around.