PSG hail Navas as rivals Marseille & Lyon clash
Paris, Nov. 8: If Paris Saint-Germain have been held back in recent years by their lack of a truly top-class goalkeeper, Keylor Navas showed just why they were so keen to bring him to the French capital with his midweek performance in the Champions League. The Costa Rican joined PSG in September from Real Madrid as Alphonse Areola moved in the other direction, and on Wednesday his late penalty save helped secure a 1-0 win over Club Brugge that clinched his side’s place in the last 16. The last line of defence for Real as they won three successive Champions Leagues between 2016 and 2018, Navas is yet to concede a goal in Europe since arriving in Paris. Indeed, the 32-year-old has let in only five goals in 12 matches for Thomas Tuchel’s side. “He is an extraordinary goalkeeper. He won three Champions Leagues with Real Madrid in a competition where goalkeeper is such an important position. They can change the outcome of a game,” remarked midfielder Marco Verratti after Wednesday’s game, in which Mauro Icardi scored the winner. “He will bring so much experience and calmness to the side,” said sporting director Leonardo. Leading sports daily L’Equipe on Thursday gave over its front page to the goalkeeper with a headline referencing 1982 Jean-Paul Belmondo action comedy The Ace of Aces. And yet less than a week ago it is true that Navas hardly covered himself in glory as PSG suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Dijon. Then again, neither did any of his teammates,
and Europe is where this team will really be judged. A trip to Real Madrid later this month, when Neymar should be fit again, could be revealing.
In Ligue 1, PSG have lost three of their opening 12 games and yet they are already seven points clear of Angers at the top.
They travel to face Brest on Saturday where Tuchel will again have to decide whether to leave the club’s all-time top goal-scorer, Edinson Cavani, on the bench.
Icardi has been preferred to the Uruguayan recently and has now scored eight times in the last seven matches.
Garcia in Marseille
On Sunday, coach Rudi Garcia heads back to Marseille with his new team Lyon as the sides jostle for position in a packed table.
Lyon are 10th but sit just three points behind Marseille in fourth.
Garcia has been dealt a blow as Memphis Depay will miss the match with an injury.