PSG won the final on penalties but both sides showed they are rested and ready for the return of the Champions League
By Eric Devin for Get French
Football News
PSG’s 2-1 win over St Étienne in the Coupe de
France final last weekend was a somewhat dour affair and their victory over Lyon in the Coupe de la Ligue final on Friday night was also far from the prettiest evening of football. PSG were without Kylian Mbappé, who had suffered an ankle injury against St Étienne, and looked somewhat disjointed. Ángel Di María was uncharacteristically off the boil; Mauro Icardi was seemingly hampered by an injury that led to him being substituted after an hour; and even Neymar struggled to have an impact. It was not the greatest game, finishing goalless before PSG won on penalties, but the occasion at the Stade de France will have served both sides well as they prepare for the return of the Champions League.
Lyon’s 3-5-2 formation often looked more like a 4-5-1, with Memphis not close enough to striker Moussa Dembélé. Despite the inclusion of the usually forward-thinking Houssem Aouar, Lyon’s midfield was as combative as they have been under Rudi Garcia, with both Bruno Guimarães and Maxence Caqueret snapping into tackles. Lucas Tousart returned to his parent club Hertha
Berlin in July, leaving Lyon without a natural holding player, yet they showed the same bite and vigour that helped them beat
Juventus 1-0 in the first leg of their
Champions League last-16 tie – a two-legged tie that began five months ago and will conclude in Turin on Friday night.