Money talks as Bhoys are put to the sword
PSG’s €500m strikeforce seal 5-0 drubbing
CELTIC 0 PARISST-GERMAIN 5
THEY call it Paradise but it was Paris Saint-Germain who have their Holy Trinity: Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani, Neymar. The MCN.
And the new force in European football rolled over Celtic at Parkhead to open their Champions League campaign and lay down their emphatic marker to be one of the favourites to win the competition this season.
A banner was unfurled proclaiming ‘The Celtic Renaissance’ but it is the rebirth of PSG that is reverberating around the world with the most expensively-ever assembled strikeforce – worth an estimated €500m – each scoring, with Cavani claiming two goals.
At times, they looked simply awesome. Unstoppable. It was supermen against Bhoys. It was almost too easy.
For Celtic, it was a sobering lesson in Group B where they will also face Bayern Munich and Anderlecht and there could be sanctions also after a fan ran on the pitch in the first half and attempted to kick Mbappe.
Thankfully, Mbappe sidestepped him and he missed, by some distance, before being hauled away by stewards.
Celtic came into this with a shudder of apprehension around the 7-0 defeat they suffered away to Barcelona in this competition last season.
But this – they hoped – would be more akin to the rip-roaring 3-3 draw they then achieved, here, against Manchester City.
They wanted to rekindle that spirit, that atmosphere and there was a cry of approval as 18-year-old Anthony Ralston attempted to run at Neymar close to the PSG penalty area.
The tables were soon turned. PSG bristled with intent and then they scored.
It was met with a cacophony of boos, not just because Neymar, who had annoyed Celtic fans with his comments while at Barcelona, claimed it but because the home side believed there was a trip on Scott Sinclair in the build-up as the ball was turned over and the excellent Adrien Rabiot slid it through.
Neymar ran across Ralston, catching him out, and slotted high beyond goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
This Celtic team cost around €22m to assemble. PSG’s line-up? Closer to €622m. But, unlike Celtic, they do not – as yet – get to wear a jersey with a European star on it.
CURLING
Thanks to the Lisbon Lions 50 years ago, Celtic do although, given their ambition and investment, it is surely only a matter of time before PSG are also European champions.
Thrillingly, Celtic almost immediately struck back with Leigh Griffith’s curling free-kick from 25 yards superbly tipped over by goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
It was a signal for PSG to keep ball. And they do go for the kill. There was pass, pass, pass – and there was one audacious sequence in which they worked their way out of trouble inside their own area while under severe pressure – and then bang.
Neymar headed a cross to Cavani who appeared set to pull the trigger but ended up miskicking only it to run to Mbappe behind him who fired it high into the net from just six yards out.
It was, frankly, too easy. By doing so the 18-year-old became the first ever teenager to score goals for two different clubs in the Champions League.
It got worse for Celtic. PSG poured forward again, again another cross went into the area with Jozo Simunovic panicking and bundling over Cavani as he attempted to reach it.
The defender was booked, the penalty given and Cavani had his turn as he calmly stroked the ball high into the corner with Gordon diving the other way. It was all over and all three forwards had scored.
Just on half-time, Sinclair forced another save by Areola with an angled drive and then Ralston forced his way into the area before going over.
No penalty was given and running back the right back thudded into Thiago Motta, was cautioned and turned to the fans to try and whip up the noise even further.
over the bar, one saved by Gordon and the next sent past the post before the Brazilian was booked for simulation in the 76th minute.
There was more woe to come for the outclassed home side.
In the 83rd minute Draxler’s cutback was inadvertently knocked into his own net by Lustig before Cavani headed in number five from a Kurzawa cross to compound a miserable night for Celtic, whose fans applauded in recognition of a fine away team at the final whistle.
Meanwhile, Daryl Murphy returned to haunt Sunderland as his 86th-minute winner for Nottingham Forest condemned the Black Cats to their second home defeat in the space of four days.
Murphy has played for both Sunderland and Newcastle in the past, and he clearly retains a fondness for the north east given the slick way in which he settled things at the Stadium of Light.
Receiving the ball from Barrie McKay in the area, Murphy turned neatly before drilling a low strike into the corner to secure a 1-0 win for Forest.