It’s not champagne football yet, but PSG’s perfect start to the season continued on Sunday with a 2-0 away win over Reims. Kylian Mbappé scored both the goals, highlighting how potentially devastating a move to Real Madrid would be at this moment, even following the arrival of Lionel Messi.
The 34-year-old made his PSG debut in the 66th minute, replacing Neymar on the Brazilian's first appearance of the season.
THIS IS IT!!! PURE HISTORY!
Lionel Messi makes his PSG debut #SDRPSG pic.twitter.com/4X6h5vTPOC— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 29, 2021
The score was already 2-0 at that point, and Messi finished with 25 touches and 19 of 20 passing (95%). He also put in this tackle to win possession and broke at the Reims defense, but nothing came of it.
Messi Mbappé
Don't miss a second! @StadeDeReims @PSG_English is LIVE NOW on beIN SPORTS! #SDRPSG pic.twitter.com/dmUARAz3FQ— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 29, 2021
He also drew a couple fouls.
Así ya le pegan a #Messi en Francia...#SDRPSG pic.twitter.com/MXPq6Gnza9
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 29, 2021
With the eyes of the world watching, Reims did itself proud. PSG’s squad value is $1.1 billion with seven players valued over $50 million. Reims? Their entire squad is at $103 million with 25-year-old goalkeeper Predrag Rajković the highest at $9.9 million.
But the 21,029-seat Stade Auguste-Delaune — the site of the USWNT’s 13-0 World Cup beatdown of Thailand — was rocking for the visit of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Mbappé looked sharp when hitting the side-netting in the 10th minute, and then he got on the end of a beautiful Ángel Di María cross in the 16th to give PSG the lead.
⚽️ Un certero cabezazo de @KMbappe abre el marcador para la visita@StadeDeReims 0-1 @PSG_espanol #SDRPSG ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/mTUIeTwv6t
— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) August 29, 2021
If the 22-year-old has added headed goals to his arsenal, it’s over.
Kylian Mbappé's first three Ligue 1 seasons for PSG:
◎ 78 goals
◉ 0 headed goalsKylian Mbappé's first four games of the 2021/22 Ligue 1 season:
◎ 2 goals
◉ 2 headed goalsHe's been practicing. pic.twitter.com/G0tigM6Zm5
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 29, 2021
Reims frustrated Neymar all evening and forced some good defensive work out of Idrissa Gueye and Marquinhos, while Moreto Cassamá struck the junction of post and crossbar before Marshall Munetsi thought he’d scored an equalizer in the 51st minute. He was, however, offside upon VAR review.
Still just holding the slender one-goal advantage, Mauricio Pochettino instructed Messi to get ready. With the Argentine warming up and chants of “Messi! Messi! Messi!” coming from the crowd, Mbappé made it 2-0.
Gueye made an excellent pass to release Achraf Hakimi on the counter, and the fullback picked out the streaking Mbappé for the second.
⚽️ ¡Y llegó el segundo! @KMbappe sella su doblete@StadeDeReims 0-2 @PSG_espanol #SDRPSG ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/njEySJUFIr
— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) August 29, 2021
All that was left was the small matter of the GOAT’s appearance.
Reims' goalkeeper had to get a photo of his son with Messi after his PSG debut
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 29, 2021
It’s international break now, so Messi returns to work with Argentina against Venezuela (Sep. 2), Brazil (Sep. 5) and Bolivia (Sep. 9). PSG’s next match is Sunday, Sep. 12 against Clermont Foot at the Parc des Princes.
