The two French clubs still in the Champions League met in Paris at the weekend. It went a lot better for PSG than Lille
Football fans will associate André Villas-Boas with racing, the former Porto, Chelsea, Tottenham and Marseille manager having made waves as a driver at the Dakar Rally, but if any manager is shifting through the gears at present, it must surely be Luis Enrique. PSG squared off against Lille on Saturday, a game that was circled on the calendars of French football fans for two reasons: not only could it be a real test for both sides before their last-16 ties in the Champions League but it was also a game where PSG could lose in the league for the first time this season.
With Lille playing a rotated lineup at the Parc des Princes, it was barely a contest. Ethan Mbappé’s impressive cameo was the only bright spot for the visitors as PSG ran out easy 4-1 winners. They scored all four of their goals in a first half that Enrique called “our best of the year”. Critics of Ligue 1 will point out that PSG are 13 points clear at the top of the table, but Lille’s performances in the Champions League – they finished seventh in the group stage to set up a last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund – suggest that PSG are capable of competing with any opponent on their day.
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