Bradley Barcola scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defeated Montpellier 6-0 on Friday, continuing their strong start to the season without Kylian Mbappe. At the Parc des Princes, Marco Asensio, Achraf Hakimi, Warren Zaire-Emery, and Lee Kang-in also scored for PSG, who have now netted 10 goals in their opening two Ligue 1 games.
Luis Enrique's team, featuring eight players aged between 18 and 25, showcased a dynamic performance despite facing limited opposition. Joao Neves, 19, made his first start after joining from Benfica for a potential 69.9 million euros ($78.2m). Desire Doue, also 19, made his debut as a second-half substitute after joining from Rennes for an initial 50 million euros.
PSG's previous game saw them score three late goals to win 4-1 at Le Havre. Their performance against Montpellier demonstrated their dominance and suggests they will be strong contenders for their 11th French title in 13 seasons, despite the absence of Mbappe.
The financial disparity between PSG and Montpellier was evident, with Montpellier facing challenges due to a significant drop in domestic broadcasting revenue. Montpellier will receive just seven million euros from television this season, according to their president Laurent Nicollin.
The match saw PSG take an early lead when Barcola scored with a first-time finish. His second goal, set up by Asensio and Neves, came midway through the first half. In the second half, Asensio assisted Barcola for PSG’s third goal. Hakimi and Zaire-Emery added two more goals, with Lee scoring the sixth in the 82nd minute.
This is the second time PSG has scored six goals in a Ligue 1 match since Luis Enrique became coach, the other being a 6-2 victory against Montpellier in March.
In other Ligue 1 action, Lyon will host Monaco, Lille will meet Angers, and Saint-Etienne will play Le Havre on Saturday. Marseille, managed by Roberto De Zerbi and coming off a 5-1 win against Brest, will face Reims on Sunday.
