Lee, Barcola star as PSG stay six points clear of Monaco in Ligue 1

South Korea star Lee came in as one of five changes to the PSG line-up made by coach Luis Enrique following the last-gasp midweek defeat at home to Atletico Madrid, and he wasted little time making an impact. Lee opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a shot that crossed the line before Angers defender Jordan Lefort managed to clear, and he struck again just three minutes later from Marco Asensio's low centre.

Barcola, Ligue 1's leading scorer, then took centre stage by firing in his team's third goal just after the half-hour mark and adding another with a header from Lee's cross to make it 4-0 in first-half stoppage time. The France winger, who was substituted at half-time, has now scored 10 goals in 11 games in Ligue 1 this season, two more goals than Mason Greenwood of Marseille.

PSG took the foot off the pedal late on, allowing 15th-placed Angers to score twice in stoppage time at the end of the game through a fine volley by Esteban Lepaul and an Emmanuel Biumla goal. However, that did not change the outcome and while PSG are struggling with four points from four games in the Champions League, in Ligue 1 they are unbeaten and six points clear of second-placed Monaco.

"It was a complete performance," said Luis Enrique, whose side are averaging three goals a game in Ligue 1 this season, while toiling desperately to find the net in the Champions League. "We were extremely clinical," added the coach, who said his team's European goal difficulties were being caused by a mental block and dismissed suggestions a lower standard of opposition was aiding PSG domestically.

"The blockage will pass. This is the beginning of a change. If you look at Monaco and Brest (both performing well in Europe), that shows the standard of Ligue 1 is high."

 

November 9, 2024