Soccer Football – Ligue 1 – Paris St Germain v Lille – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – February 10, 2024 Paris St Germain’s Marco Asensio and teammates applaud fans after the match REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
PARIS (Reuters) -Luis Enrique’s Paris St Germain moved 11 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 standings with a 3-1, come-from-behind home win over Lille on Saturday.
PSG, who were without striker Kylian Mbappe before they host Real Sociedad in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, are on 50 points from 21 games and have extended their unbeaten run to 16 games.
It was only the third time Mbappe, who was forced off injured against Brest in the Coupe de France midweek, has stayed on the bench during an entire Ligue 1 game for PSG — and the first since April 2018.
Soccer Football – Ligue 1 – Paris St Germain v Lille – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – February 10, 2024 Paris St Germain’s Marco Asensio and teammates celebrate after the match REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
“Mbappe is physically very good. It is clear that we did not want to take risks, there was no need, we are not playing in a final, it made no sense. He will be available for Wednesday match,” said Luis Enrique in a news conference.
Soccer Football – Ligue 1 – Paris St Germain v Lille – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – February 10, 2024 Paris St Germain’s Manuel Ugarte in action with Lille’s Angel Gomes and Nabil Bentaleb REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
“This is a collective effort, obviously there are players like Kylian with the individual ability to change the course of a game on his own, but I have highlighted the level of the squad – that’s what makes me proud as a coach.”
“Playing in the Champions League is not like playing for our lives. We will face the competition with calm, without pressure… We are ready and we have proved it,” he added.
Soccer Football – Ligue 1 – Paris St Germain v Lille – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – February 10, 2024 Lille’s Remy Cabella in action with Paris St Germain’s Marco Asensio REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
Midfielder Yusuf Yazici silenced the Parc des Princes when he gave Lille the lead after six minutes, collecting a loose ball inside the six-yard box to send it past returning PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Soccer Football – Ligue 1 – Paris St Germain v Lille – Parc des Princes, Paris, France – February 10, 2024 Paris St Germain’s Bradley Barcola comes on as a substitute to replace Ousmane Dembele REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
Navas, 37, who was sent on loan to Premier League side Nottingham Forest for the second half of the 2022-23 season, missed the beginning of the current campaign with back problems.
A Lille defensive error four minutes later gifted PSG an equaliser however, with Ousmane Dembele squaring the ball to Goncalo Ramos who scored with a low, first-time shot from 10 metres.
The home side then went ahead when Lille defender Alexsandro put the ball in his own net in the 17th minute as he attempted to clear a low strike by Fabian Ruiz from outside the box.
Midfielder Marco Asensio and defender Nordi Mukiele had chances for the Parisians in the second half before Randal Kolo Muani sealed the points with an 80th-minute tap-in.
Lille, who ended their unbeaten start to 2024 on Wednesday when they were knocked out of the French Cup last 16 by Olympique Lyonnais, remained fourth on 35 points.
They host Le Havre on Feb. 17, while PSG travel to 14th-placed Nantes later that day.
Second-placed Nice host AS Monaco, in fifth, on Sunday.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond and Hugh Lawson)
News Related
-
Asylum seekers travel in an inflatable boat across the English Channel, bound for Dover on the south coast of England (Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP) Up to 40 Conservative MPs are poised to rebel over Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation policy as they question ministers’ commitment to the scheme. A major row is ...
See Details:
Up to 40 Tory MPs ‘set to rebel’ if Sunak’s Rwanda plan doesn’t override ECHR
-
In the saltmarsh fringing where the Ballyboe River dissolves into Trawbreaga Bay, a little egret wears its plumage like a windblown stole. Our car swoops across the 10 arches of Malin bridge and we park along the village green. Malin is almost as far north as you can get on ...
See Details:
Country diary: A tale of three churches
-
Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/EPA Hampton Court is an enduring monument to the power of Henry VIII, a pleasure palace down the Thames from Westminster and the City of London. On Monday it was the scene of power projection of a different kind, as Rishi Sunak pitched for investment from some of ...
See Details:
Sunak woos business elite with royal welcome – but they seek certainty
-
-
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to bring an overseas defender to the Premier League in January, according to a fresh report. Postecoglou’s centre-back options The Lilywhites currently have Micky Van De Ven, Ashley Phillips, Cristian Romero and Eric ...
See Details:
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January
-
A £100m campaign urging households and businesses to use less water will be funded from customers’ bills, Ofwat has said. Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign The regulator’s chief executive David Black told MPs that if the measures worked it would be cheaper than building ...
See Details:
Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign
-
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 – Group B – Canada Training – Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia – July 24, 2023 Canada’s Christine Sinclair during training REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo (Reuters) – BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, will be renamed “Christine Sinclair ...
See Details:
Soccer-Venue renamed 'Christine Sinclair Place' for Canada soccer great's final game
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Phil Taylor makes his pick for 2024 World Darts Championship winner
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Soccer-Howe aims to boost Newcastle's momentum in PSG clash
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Hamilton heads for hibernation with a word of warning
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Carolina Panthers fire head coach Frank Reich after 1-10 start to the season
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
This exercise is critical for golfers. 4 tips to doing it right
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
One in three households with children 'will struggle to afford Christmas'
-
OTHER NEWS
Kobbie Mainoo made his first start for Man Utd at Everton (Photo: Getty) The Football Association are reportedly confident that Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo will choose to represent England ...
Read more »
Michael Smith will begin the defence of his world title on the opening night (Picture: Getty Images) The 2024 World Darts Championship is less than three weeks away and the ...
Read more »
For the first time a long haul commercial aircraft is flying across the Atlantic using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). A long haul commercial flight is flying to the US ...
Read more »
The King has met business and finance leaders from across the world at a Buckingham Palace reception to mark the conclusion of the UK’s Global Investment Summit. Charles was introduced ...
Read more »
After Ohio State’s 30-24 loss to Michigan Saturday, many college football fans were wondering where Lou Holtz was. In his postgame interview after the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 17-14 in ...
Read more »
Darius Slay wouldn’t have minded being penalized on controversial no-call No matter which team you were rooting for on Sunday, we can all agree that the officiating job performed by ...
Read more »
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) Quarterback Mac Jones remains committed to finding success with the New England Patriots even though his future is up in the air following ...
Read more »