Neymar shines as PSG beat Rennes
Paris:
Neymar starred on his return to the Paris St Germain line-up after two games out with two goals and two assists in the 4-1 defeat of Rennes in Ligue 1.
The world’s most expensive player missed last weekend’s win over Lille due to suspension and sat out Wednesday’s French League Cup clash at Strasbourg after travelling back to Brazil to deal with a family matter.
But he made an immediate impact in Rennes on Saturday by scoring the opening goal after just four minutes before teeing up Kylian Mbappe to add a second for PSG just past the quarter-hour.
Firmin Mubele halved the deficit after the break, but Rennes were reduced to 10 men when Benjamin Andre picked up a second booking and Edinson Cavani netted PSG’s third on 75 minutes.
Neymar swiftly made it four as he turned home his second goal of the afternoon, while Wahbi Khazri blazed over a late penalty for Rennes after PSG centreback Presnel Kimpembe was sent off. “When you see a player like Neymar, I think that all the fans who were here today, or watching on TV, they might support PSG, but if they like football they are happy to see a player like Neymar,” said PSG coach Unai Emery.
PSG had already ensured they will head into the winter break top of the table and lead second-placed Monaco by nine points, but the capital club have shown signs of weakness this month with losses to Strasbourg and Bayern Munich.
However they brushed aside Strasbourg 4-2 in the League Cup on Wednesday without Neymar and Mbappe, both of whom were restored to the starting team at Roazhon Park by Emery.
Lille crashed to a 3-0 defeat at Dijon in the club’s first game since officially parting ways with Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa, while promoted Strasbourg climbed into the top half after a 2-1 win over Toulouse extended their unbeaten run to six matches.