Good kisses from Bruges.
As expected, the evening was crazy, dizzying and thrilling.
Of those that we are delighted to have lived in the front row and most of whom, in a few years, will recall that she was there that evening.
However, the postcard posted by PSG on Wednesday evening at the end of its passage through the Venice of the North is not the one that the football planet, riveted on its screen in more than 200 countries, expected to receive.
For the premiere of the most anticipated trio in the world, the first steps under the same colors of the Messi-Neymar-Mbappé triplet, the dream aroused by the already famous MNM has almost turned into a nightmare. Two years after coming to feast here, having seen "Kylian the barbarian" sign his first treble on the European scene and "Mauro the bull" go there for his double, PSG experienced an ordeal on the lawn of the Jan- Breydel on the occasion of the curtain raising of its new European campaign.
It is difficult to know whether to rejoice or be sorry to note that in the midst of an audience of stars, it is in particular Ander Herrera, yet not known to be the most sparkling in the Parisian galaxy who, this Wednesday evening saved the furniture.
Decisive, already ahead of Brest and Clermont, the Spaniard found the net with a very good half-volley following a caviar from Mbappé.
But his goal, the fourth already this season, will have been only a glimmer in the dark as those we expected have not responded to the call.
Another hiccup of entry
Fortunately, Navas, who therefore seems to be Pochettino's favorite in the cage, will have justified his coach's confidence by still being decisive in goal. Author of his third decisive pass of the season, Kylian Mbappé, as a symbol, left his partners shortly after returning from the locker room due to an ankle injury. If he has repeatedly tried his luck, stumbled on Mignolet on one of the few successful services of Messi (23rd), this time he did not manage to get his partners out of the rut.
The Neymar-Messi tandem did not do better.
Four and a half years since these two had not walked side by side, martyred the defenses and regaled the stands.
It is clear that if the genius is not lost, it is not reborn with a simple snap of the fingers.
More legs than in recent weeks, the Brazilian was one of the few in the trio to tackle defensive spots.
He will also have found a bright pass for his former friend of Barça who, in other times, would have undoubtedly hit the mark.
But like his curled shot from the left returned by the bar (29th), his shot repelled by Mignolet (71st), the Pulga missed its European debut under its new colors.
Read also Bruges-PSG (1-1): the ratings of Parisian players
If it does better than last year, when it was beaten by Manchester United, Paris still opens its European campaign with a poor performance. It does not, of course, question anything. Failing to draw hasty sporting conclusions, this match will perhaps have allowed Paris to see what part of its season would also be, the price that will have to be paid in the face of opponents who, facing an army of stars, will all have the bit to the teeth.
