Paris Saint-Germain managed to stay unbeaten for the third straight Champions League match as they battled Real Madrid to a scoreless draw.
Los Blancos came into the game with several players left out of the squad due to injury and Paris missed a great opportunity to secure three points at home and take control of the group (Madrid remain on top due to goal differential). It was a frustrating match to watch for numerous reasons but there were also some positives to take away from the biggest fixture of the season. Here is my “Good & Bad” from PSG vs. Real Madrid:
The Good
Kevin Trapp
The German is clearly adjusting to life at Paris Saint-Germain quite well. After his howler against Bordeaux, Trapp bounced back and has established himself as the clear first choice keeper with a string of excellent performances. In the biggest test of the season, he was able to keep the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jesé from finding the back of the net with a series of world class saves, which is no easy task even for the most experienced goalkeepers.
Marquinhos and Thiago Silva
The Brazilian duo were solid in defense especially when you consider the opposition. The spotlight was especially on Marquinhos who was starting for the injured David Luiz and you have to say the youngster passed the test with flying colors. The PSG captain was equally as good, blocking shots and organizing the defense against Madrid’s counterattacking style.
Lucas Moura and Javier Pastore
Both players came on as subs in the 67th minute and while they didn’t make an impact on the scoreline, positives can be taken away from their performances. Pastore contributed the least of the two but after being brought on (much to the delight of the crowd) he did breathe new life into the midfield. Lucas on the other hand continuously battled Marcelo and tried to get the ball to Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a dangerous position. With the big Swede’s struggles throughout the match, many PSG supporters are wondering if Laurent Blanc will bench Ibrahimovic in favor of Pastore.
The Bad
Thiago Motta
Even at 33-years-old, Motta has always been considered an integral part of the Paris midfield but maybe this should be given more thought after his horrendous performance. Through the encounter Madrid would try to use the width of the field when attacking and come back fast when defending, usually this would award the Italian international acres of space to pass yet he figured out how to waste the VAST majority of them. Every player has bad days but after today even Stambouli looked like a better choice.
Serge Aurier
The Ivorian’s performance wasn’t bad per se but the young right back, who has quickly become a fan favorite at the Parc des Princes, didn’t put in the total performance we’ve come to expect from him. His defending was pretty solid but he received an unnecessary yellow card by protesting and had very poor crosses throughout the match.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Seems to me that the person who told a reporter that his football was getting better every year should have something to show for it. Instead PSG supporters witnessed a lazy and careless Zlatan for the full 90 minutes. Both he and Edinson Cavani were isolated for most of the game but Cavani used his chances slightly better, most notably in the 49th minute when he sprinted into the box to meet a cross from Motta. In my opinion, Ibrahimovic should have been the one taken off and not the Uruguayan.
