Heading into matchday five of the UEFA Champions League group stage, Paris Saint-Germain needed to pick up a win on the road at Old Trafford against Manchester United FC if they wished to control their destiny on the final matchday against İstanbul Başakşehir.
With the help from Neymar Jr.’s two-goal performance, the capital club picked up a 3-1 win over The Red Devils. As a result, Les Parisiens only need a win over İstanbul Başakşehir, and they’ll secure their ticket into the Round of 16.
Nonetheless, PSG controlling their fate seemed hard to believe after opening the group stage, losing two of the first three fixtures. PSG needed their superstar players to help bail them out of this hole, or else they’d be UEFA Europa League bound.
Enter Neymar, who scored the lone goal against RB Leipzig and two goals at Manchester United. The 28-year-old appeared when the club needed most; it’s why Canal Plus football analyst Pierre Ménès is praising the Brazil international in his Canal Plus Blog.
“So criticized and sometimes so criticizable, the Brazilian has totally justified his status as a football star with a fantastic match, without falling into the excesses that are sometimes his – too much dribbling, individualism – and delivered a beautiful duel to Mctominay who him also miraculously got away without a yolk. And then he scored two goals,” Ménès said.
“It is in these matches that we expect the great players, and he answered this. Now, Paris must finish the work at the Parc to finish first in its group, rest well and prepare for the second part of the season. And we will see another face of PSG, even if the one I saw last night suits me very well.”
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