Champs see red
PSG suffer first defeat under new coach to Monaco
PARIS: Reigning champions Paris St Germain suffered their first defeat under new coach Unai Emery, going down 3-1 to a rampant Monaco at the Stade Louis II.
Joao Moutinho put Monaco ahead before a Fabinho penalty doubled their lead just before half-time to leave the visitors up against it.
Edinson Cavani pulled a goal back in the second half but a Serge Aurier own-goal late on secured a deserved win for the home side that lifts them level on seven points with early league leaders Guingamp.
PSG lie a point behind in fifth place after seeing their perfect start to the campaign ended in the principality.
“If we had controlled the start of the match things would have been different,” said Emery.
“When Monaco scored we needed to stay calm but we lost too many balls in midfield and the second goal was important. I need to learn from this defeat.”
It is a defeat that will raise major questions about the capital club’s strategy after a summer in which they sacked coach Laurent Blanc and lost their talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Spaniard Emery was brought in from Sevilla fresh from winning the Europa League but it was always going to be difficult to find a successor to Ibrahimovic.
PSG went unbeaten through their first 27 league games last season before eventually being beaten at the end of February while in the two previous seasons they did not lose in Ligue 1 until December.
The warning signs had been there in their opening two wins against Bastia and Metz, in which Paris failed to entirely convince despite winning.
Earlier St Etienne drew 0-0 with Toulouse while Bordeaux edged a tight encounter with Nantes 1-0 thanks to a Diego Rolan goal in the first half.
Guingamp, who drew 2-2 away at Monaco on the opening day of the season, are top after a 2-0 victory away at promoted Nancy on Saturday.
Nice are also level on points with the leaders after a 1-1 draw at home to Lille while Lyon’s perfect start to the league season was ended in a 4-2 defeat at Dijon. — AFP