PSG falters anew
It wasn’t the real PSG. Rennes played well, they were solid defensively, they were more careful than us
RENNES, France (AFP) — Champion Paris Saint-Germain slipped up in its second league game of the season losing 2-1 to Rennes in a repeat of April’s French Cup final with a 16-year-old playing a starring role. Edinson Cavani scored after less than 15 minutes of play for the visitor in Brittanny before Mbaye Niang and Romain del Castillo responded for the home side. PSG was without forward Neymar for a third successive game this term with the world’s most expensive player continuing to be the subject of interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid. Angolan-born 16-year-old Eduardo Camavinga starred in Rennes midfield and proved to be key in his team’s winning goal, along with experienced playmaker Clement Grenier.
Rennes boss Julien Stephan said Camavinga, the first player born since January 2002 to feature in Europe’s top five leagues, had continued to improve since making his first team debut in April.
“It’s more than six months he’s been training with the professionals. He’s settled in well with the squad,” he told broadcaster Canal+.
“We’ve prepared him with the players, the staff and the whole club so he can evolve in the right conditions.
“He started doing it at the end of last season and he’s confirming all the talent we think he has at the start of this season.”
PSG skipper Thiago Silva admitted his side stepped off the gas after their good start through Cavani’s effort.
“We started well but we eased off a bit, I don’t know why, we lost concentration,” he told Canal+.
“It wasn’t the real PSG. Rennes played well, they were solid defensively, they were more careful than us,” he added.
The Parisians dominated the early proceedings and showed their quality with two good chances within the opening quarter of an hour of play.
Firstly, Julian Draxler’s half-volley skimmed over the bar before Cavani’s header hit the post after 14 minutes.
Uruguay forward Cavani made up for hitting the woodwork by scoring 20 minutes later after a defensive howler from Rennes captain Damien da Silva.
The center-back received the ball in his own box but his misplaced pass to goalkeeper Romain Salin was intercepted by Cavani who tucked it away to make it 1-0.