PSG

2022 - 10 - 22

PSG chaos around Mbappe caused by club's lack of culture (ESPN)

Why does it seem like chaos is the predominant theme around Paris Saint-Germain, one of the world's wealthiest teams and one boasting Neymar, Lionel Messi ...

They didn't even buy the team because of the potential financial benefits that come with owning a soccer team that wins a lot of soccer games. They've ruthlessly expanded across the world and hired some of the smartest analysts; they seem to revel, in a sense, at being the brainiac bad guy. He doesn't want to win the Champions League for the sake of winning the Champions League; he wants to win because he thinks winning will change the way people see his club. [Jordan](/soccer/team?id=2917)-brand uniforms, and it's why they signed Neymar, Mbappe and [Lionel Messi](/soccer/player/_/id/45843/Lionel-Messi). At Madrid, it's the closest thing to soccer's version of the Lakers' model: a team that won with stars in the past and can now credibly claim it's where stars still must come if they want to keep winning. There's a culture of open-mindedness and aggression that I think works particularly well because of the players they tend to target: undervalued talents rather than established stars. The current version of the side has beautifully blended a number of young upstarts with the remaining core of the team that won three Champions League titles in a row. At Manchester City, it's a culture built in the image of Pep Guardiola -- and with way more money than everyone else. [reported](/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4767566/kylian-mbappe-seeks-psg-exit-in-january-amid-broken-relationship-with-club-sources) that [Kylian Mbappe](/soccer/player/_/id/231388/Kylian-Mbappé), mere months after signing one of the most lucrative contracts in soccer history, has decided he wants to leave [Paris Saint-Germain](/soccer/team?id=160) in January. 9 for him to play off, the lack of added center-back signings, and the continued presence of [Neymar](/soccer/player/_/id/132948/Neymar) in the squad. It has led to massive success -- the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal era, a title with LeBron James -- and some equally massive whiffs. Superstars have a bigger impact on team success in basketball than in any other sport, and the prevailing team-building strategies over the past 15 years fit into one of three buckets:

Messi and Mbappé lead PSG past Ajaccio (LFP)

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé were undefendable at times as champions Paris Saint-Germain opened up a provisional six-point lead in Ligue 1 Uber Eats with ...

Mbappé then completed the scoring when he and Messi exchanged roles, steering home from close range (82'). Mbappé set up Messi with a backheel, the Argentina skipped past Leroy, and it was 2-0 moments later (79'). Mbappé should have doubled his and his side's tally soon after when he was teed up by Achraf Hakimi, but his finish let him down (35') and it was 1-0 at the break.

Ajaccio 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe ... (Eurosport.com)

Paris Saint-Germain extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to six points with a comfortable 3-0 win over AC Ajaccio at Stade Francois Coty.

Messi has his second assist of the game, as he plays another through ball to Mbappe to his left inside the penalty area. It is a sublime assist from Mbappe, as he plays the give-and-go back to the Argentine inside the box with a backheel that takes out Gonzalez, and Messi taps the ball home to surely seal the win for PSG. 21’ - JUST OVER - That is the home side's best chance of the match! More often than not, he played just behind Mbappe as a second striker, and he linked up well with his team-mate as both players were involved in all three of the Paris goals. The 35-year-old made a total of four key passes in this match, with two of those becoming assists for Mbappe. As the game progressed, the holes in the home side's defence opened up, and it led to Paris' first goal, which was clinically worked and finished beautifully by Mbappe.

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe star as PSG beat Ajaccio 3-0 in Ligue 1 (ESPN)

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi combined in superb fashion to fire Paris Saint-Germain to a 3-0 win at AC Ajaccio in Ligue 1 on Friday. Mbappe scored twice off Messi assists, with the French star repaying the favor by setting up Messi for a goal of his ...

The three points were effectively sealed in the 78th minute. Despite a long check from the Video Assistant Referee for a potential offside, the goal stood. [Achraf Hakimi](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/240233/Achraf-Hakimi) laid the ball across the penalty area. [Benjamin Leroy](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/139363/Benjamin-Leroy) then denied Messi when he saved a deflected free-kick effort in the 13th minute. [Mounaim El Idrissy](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/282290/Mounaim-El-Idrissy) missed a shot from a difficult angle in the fourth minute. [Kylian Mbappe](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/231388/Kylian-Mbappé) and [Lionel Messi](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/45843/Lionel-Messi) combined in superb fashion to fire [Paris Saint-Germain](/soccer/team?id=160) to a 3-0 win at [AC Ajaccio](/soccer/team?id=2503) in Ligue 1 on Friday.

Mbappe scores twice as PSG beats Ajaccio 3-0 (Sportstar)

PSG had several chances to double the lead and the host was lucky to go into the break with just a one-goal deficit.

The game was put to bed when Messi scored PSG’s second from close range after he received a through ball from Mbappe and rounded Leroy in the 78th minute. The deadlock was broken in the 24th minute when French forward Mbappe picked up a through ball from Argentine Messi and lifted it over Leroy to give PSG the lead. PSG had several chances to increase its advantage and the host was lucky to go into the break with just a one-goal deficit.

Kylian Mbappe grabs double in PSG victory (The Singleton Argus)

Kylian Mbappe scored two goals to help Paris St Germain to a comfortable 3-0 win at Ajaccio, maintaining...

The game was put to bed when Messi scored PSG's second from close range after he received a through ball from Mbappe and rounded Leroy in the 78th minute. The deadlock was broken in the 24th minute when French forward Mbappe picked up a through ball from Argentine Messi and lifted it over Leroy to give PSG the lead. Ajaccio carved out the first chance of the game when Mounaim El Idrissy missed a shot from a difficult angle in the fourth minute.