PSG suffered a shock defeat in the round's opening match, losing heavily to Rennes, a team that had recently sacked its coach and was on a a five-match winless streak.

Playing at home, Rennes started strongly, taking a 2-0 lead through goals from Jordan Mousa Al-Tamari and Esteban Lepaul. In the second half, Ousmane Dembele pulled one goal back for PSG. However, Breel Embolo secured Rennes' 3-1 victory in the 81st minute with a well-executed counter-attack.

Ousmane Dembele dribbles during PSG's 1-3 loss to Rennes in round 22 of Ligue 1 at Roazhon Park, Rennes, Brittany, France on 13/2. *Photo: PSG*

The defeat led to a tense atmosphere within PSG, particularly after Ousmane Dembele publicly criticized the team's collective spirit.

"Last season, we prioritized the club and its identity. We need to recapture that spirit," the French player stated. He warned that if individual interests overshadowed the team's collective goals, achieving titles would be difficult. "If everyone plays for themselves, nothing will work," he added.

Coach Luis Enrique reacted sharply to Dembele's comments. The Spanish tactician asserted, "I will never allow any player to be above the club. I am the one responsible."

Enrique suggested Dembele's remarks stemmed from frustration following the defeat. He emphasized that discipline at Parc des Princes remains non-negotiable.

Coach Luis Enrique reacts during the match. *Photo: PSG*

From a tactical perspective, Enrique noted that PSG controlled the match but suffered due to their inefficiency. PSG maintained 69% possession, taking 17 shots with 6 on target, compared to Rennes' 11 shots and 4 on target. Despite this dominance, they left Roazhon Park without a point.

"It is difficult to analyze this match because I believe we dominated the first half, creating numerous opportunities, yet we were still down 0-1 at halftime," Enrique explained. "We continued to create many chances, with an expected goals metric of nearly 4, but only scored one goal. In contrast, Rennes had less than two expected goals but scored three. Given their efficiency, they deserved the victory."

The defeat at Roazhon Park jeopardizes PSG's position at the top of the Ligue 1 table. Lens currently trails PSG by two points and could claim the lead with a win at Paris FC tonight, 14/2.

On 17/2, PSG will travel to Monaco for the first leg of their Champions League play-off. Four days later, Enrique's squad will return home to host Metz in round 23 of Ligue 1.

Hong Duy