Kylian Mbappe’s effort saves PSG in Lionel Messi’s day

A night for the memories could have turned into an ugly one for Paris Saint-Germain had it not been for a late decision made by coach Christophe Galtier.

Hosting Nice on Saturday, PSG’s new shot-caller decided to leave Kylian Mbappe on the bench allowing him to get some rest after the international break. Summer signing Hugo Ekitike started in his place along with Neymar at the top of the forward line with Lionel Messi dropping a bit deeper to link up with the rest of the team.

The first decision – resting Mbappe – came down to an injury picked up by the French forward during the break. Whether that is true or just related to other peripheral and inner-lockerroom issues is up to you to judge. Yes, Penalty-Gate is still lingering in the capital and it seems to be going nowhere.

The immediate aftermath of such a decision was, well, not that bad. It took PSG a while to find its rhythm without its main man leading the way. Nice approached the Parisian area, crossed some balls, found Gigi Donnaruma once or twice, but ultimately did not cause real trouble in the realms of PSG’s goalposts.

It was Messi’s rush toward the opposing goal in the 26th minute of the first half which started to tilt the result. A mere foul approaching the box turned into a free-kick that the Argentinian, for the first time while donning Rouge et Bleu threads, converted from the spot with a curled left-footed shot. So unstoppable. So Messi.

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It would have been hardly surprising to find PSG running Nice off the Parc des Princes turf after Messi’s goal. Only, it never happened.

Nice players found their way through a forest of lost Parisian bodies. A ball crossed from the right wing was not properly stopped by any of the two PSG men inside the penalty area.

First, Marquinhos was caught a bit wrong-footed allowing the ball to go past him. Second, Nordi Mukiele was fooled by a missed header by a Nice forward in front of him. Gaetan Laborde saw the ball fall into his lap – right place, right time – and he promptly leveled the score.

With this happening shortly after the halftime break and Mbappe still sitting on the bench, you could hear the whispers even from the comfortable couch on which you were sitting at home.

The clock never stopped advancing. The table never changed with Olympique Marseille sitting first after their Friday win over Angers. Someone had to give. Something had to change. Thank God, sanity reigned.

Whatever it was, Galtier’s stubbornness, patience, cautiousness, or any other emotion he decided his benching of Mbappe would have to come to an end. This PSG is not the PSG of old. And by old, I mean early August, no later.

The reigning champs had stalled, couldn’t find solutions as a disappointing Neymar backed up by a poorly rotated midfield – Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, and the pair of Bernat and Hakimi on the flanks.

It took the genius Mbappe one shot on goal to see the rock kiss the net, flip the narrative of the game, and help PSG earn 3 points and go to bed sleeping in first.

There were never bad, ugly faces. Mbappe celebrated his goal with everybody after enjoying Messi’s historic score earlier in the game.

Neymar logged 90 minutes and bagged himself another start, and one more stat-padding full-game played. Messi got subbed off in the 88th just so his ears could get massaged by the loud stand of the Parc.

Whether it was a warning call, whether it was a message to Didier Deschamps –here’s your called-for Mbappe’s day off, now, leave me alone – or whether it was nothing at all, one and only one thing was made clear last Saturday night: at the end of the day, it was again the bright and young French striker who PSG needed the most to unlock a game and turn the tables in their favor.

No questions asked.