PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain completed a highly satisfying week with a Ligue 1 draw at home to Stade de Reims on Saturday which followed Wednesday’s incredible UEFA Champions League fightback win over Manchester City. Parc des Princes was the setting for both games and the French giants’ supporters got their first glimpses of new signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who was present to cheer his new teammates on to victory against City in midweek before getting his first few minutes on the field this weekend.
The Georgia international was introduced to his new fans just before kick-off in the French capital with Luis Enrique opting to use him from the start as part of a rotated starting XI against Luka Elsner’s Champagne outfit. Kvaratskhelia teed Ousmane Dembele up for the opening goal before the visitors hit back through Keito Nakamura but the 1-1 result was not of major consequence given Les Parisiens’ comfortable lead at the Championnat summit which now stands at a provisional 10.
“It was a complicated game,” said Kvaratskhelia postgame after his first taste of Ligue 1 soccer as a PSG player. “Reims are a good side but I think that we could have won based on the chances that we had and could have taken. We have to keep moving forward and working hard which will bring good results with it. I think that we mainly lacked a bit of finishing but we could also have won it late on.”
It has been a question of momentum since the three games without a win which the 1-0 UCL loss away at Bayern Munich was part of back in late November through early December but two points dropped this particular week will be a price deemed worth paying given that the City performance and result was spot on. Everything that Paris have been doing of late has been geared towards reaching Stuttgart in a position to qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions League and that aim remains within reach and this game was just part of that process.
“A Ligue 1 game sandwiched between two UCL games is tough — especially against a Reims side which defends well,” said Luis Enrique postgame. “We had chances in this game but we have to be more efficient for it to be easier. We were dangerous to them but it was tough against a team that defends and crosses the ball a lot. It is never easy against them and you always need more chances to unlock these games.”
PSG’s continental fate is in their hands and a win or even a draw in Germany would be enough to book a two-legged playoff place which would then require a different type of load management from the Spanish tactician considering games against AS Monaco and in the Coupe de France on top of that potential other February doubleheader. Next month is shaping up to be a bit busier than usual but Luis Enrique and his players will be relieved if it means that they have advanced through a tricky league phase.
Kvaratskhelia has now given PSG supporters a taste of what he can bring to this team and now the question is how soon could we see the former Napoli man in European action with PSG given the decisive nature of this upcoming week. The answer to that question depends on the final round of games but it could be as soon as the February playoffs assuming that they complete a professional job away at Stuttgart which has been made possible by the incredible midweek win over City and two dropped points against Reims will not change the enormous sense of satisfaction felt in Paris.
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