PSG-Waasland Beveren: Neymar, at the promise stage

Maybe that's how we measure talent and will have it. In this ability to make a goalkeeper giggle that has just been humiliated by a penalty skilfully transformed against the foot. Then in the way of snatching a laugh from him, twenty minutes later, just before hitting the second. The first hour of PSG this Friday, on the occasion of its second friendly match against the Belgians of Waasland-Beveren, will not be remembered. That of Neymar either, as, like his team, the Brazilian sometimes let himself be won by an ease that he had not displayed last Sunday during the first test on the lawn of Le Havre (9-0 ).

But this man definitely does not have the sole power to cheer up the stands. He therefore also knows how to amuse his opponents, as demonstrated by his accomplice exchange with the Belgian goalkeeper Lucas Pirard, on the astonishing penalty drawn in pairs, with Mauro Icardi, on the model that the tandem Henry - Pirès had made famous at Arsenal in 2005 and that Ramos and Benzema did not succeed Thursday evening for the coronation of Real.

Agreement with Mbappé

Of course, Neymar especially knows, and that's what we ask him, to treat his partners. Friday evening, under the eyes of a masked Nasser Al-Khelaïfi (and surrounded by Leonardo and Jean-Claude Blanc), he worked on it again, notably with his privileged relay on and off the field, Kylian Mbappé. The understanding of these two is like cycling, it is not forgotten, even with distance. During the crisis, Mbappé and Neymar nevertheless remained confined on each side of the globe. The Brazilian, at home, near Rio, in his gigantic residence in Mangaratiba. The French world champion, with the family, in the south of France.

Their automatisms have not suffered. But they were not rewarded, neither on the delivery of the head of the Brazilian followed by a volley against the French (13th), nor on the heel of Mbappé chained with a too crushed strike from the Ney (25th), not more than on the one-two between the two men that the Belgian goalkeeper left a beautiful parade (31st). If he sometimes has the habit of playing soloists, Neymar this time seemed more to want to distinguish himself in a role of conductor capable of making his partners shine. A good intention which has not yet masked a lack of rhythm and juice on the few strikes unusually crushed by the Brazilian. If he has, it is true, taken a few hits, he was also a little annoyed with the preferential treatment reserved by the Belgian defensive block.

Nothing serious, since its explosiveness has still worked wonders. But it will take a little more, no doubt, of the Brazilian genius to win the two finals of the Coupe de France against Saint-Etienne on July 24 and the League in front of Lyon on the 31. It will take less nervousness and more regularity especially for send PSG to the Champions League semi-final on August 12 in Lisbon against this Atalanta Bergamo team, which has 13 wins and 2 draws since it came back on the field.