PSG Falls at Strasbourg Before Arsenal Semi-Final

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    In Strasbourg, France, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) faced another setback in their Ligue 1 campaign with a 2-1 defeat against Strasbourg. The match, which fell between the legs of PSG’s Champions League semi-final against Arsenal, saw coach Luis Enrique opt for a younger lineup, preserving his key players for upcoming matches. Only Joao Neves remained from the starting lineup of their previous game.

    The Parisians fielded a youthful side, featuring players born in 2006 or later – Warren Zaïre-Emery, Senny Mayulu, Axel Tape, and Ibrahim Mbaye took the field. Enrique expressed pride in the youthful squad, stating, “I’m very proud of the young players, they showed what they’re capable of. We played a very good match but didn’t get the result we wanted. Now we need to recover and concentrate on Wednesday’s game.” To preserve his star striker, Ousmane Dembele, who had sustained a minor hamstring injury during their previous victory in London, was benched for recuperation ahead of the next showdown against Arsenal at Parc des Princes. Bradley Barcola, Mbaye, and Goncalo Ramos were tasked with leading the attack.

    Strasbourg capitalized on a corner kick, scoring first with a header by Mamadou Sarr, which PSG’s Lucas Hernandez inadvertently deflected into his own net. Strasbourg demonstrated prowess from corners, having notched their ninth goal from such a play in the current competition. PSG’s woes continued as Felix Lemarechal doubled the lead just before the half by executing a splendid shot from outside the penalty area.

    Barcola narrowed the scoreline soon after the break. Gaining possession within his half, he embarked on an intense 50-meter sprint culminating in a confident close-range finish. Strasbourg’s strong form was bolstered by the win, extending their unbeaten run to 12 matches and propelling them to fifth place in the league standings. They have earned more points since January than PSG, marking a significant achievement. This loss marked PSG’s first consecutive league defeats in over two years, shattering their previous aspiration for an undefeated Ligue 1 season, which was already marred by a previous 3-1 loss to Nice.

    Elsewhere in Ligue 1, Monaco marked a significant moment through Folarin Balogun, who netted his first goal this year post-surgery, as they earned a 3-1 victory over Saint-Etienne, who are struggling at the season’s bottom. Balogun, having returned from shoulder surgery, showcased his talents by breaking through the offside trap and finishing clinically. Earlier, Maghnes Akliouche and Moatasem Al Musrati helped establish Monaco’s dominance in the match. Despite a temporary leveling by Zuriko Davitashvili for Saint-Etienne, Monaco reasserted control to climb to second place, tied on points with Marseille, ahead of their fixture against Lille.

    Meanwhile, Toulouse rediscovered their form with Yann Gboho and Aron Donnum leading them to a 2-1 home victory against Rennes, ending a seven-game winless period and tying on points with Rennes. The triumph was significant for the team and its supporters, as Toulouse coach Carles Martínez Novell encapsulated the moment’s importance: “We needed this. The players showed courage and character. The fans have been patient, and tonight we gave them something back.” Despite Arnaud Kalimuendo’s impressive 15th seasonal goal for Rennes, it was not enough to alter the outcome.