PSG’s Struggle in Draw Against Nice Emphasizes Absence of Messi and Mbappé, Pundit Claims | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain head into the FIFA international break on a two-match winless streak following their 1-1 draw to OGC Nice on Sunday night at Allianz Riviera. Nonetheless, one journalist believes that it’s matches like these that the Parisians miss their superstar players.

Both teams took five shots each in the first half, but it was the home side that broke the deadlock when Ali Abdi scored in the 39th minute, marking his first goal for Les Aiglons.

Nice went into halftime with a 1-0 lead, needing to hold onto that advantage for another 45 minutes to secure all three points.

In the second half, PSG significantly outshot Nice, registering 14 shots in total compared to Nice’s four. Luis Enrique’s side equalized in the 52nd minute with a goal from Nuno Mendes.

The match would stay 1-1, with both sides taking a point each. However, this result isn’t ideal as AS Monaco head into the international window as Ligue 1 leaders. Diario AS’ Andrés Onrubia Ramos noted that it’s matches like these in which PSG misses that superstar individual brilliance.

“PSG has had matches like the one against Nice countless times in recent years, but back then, they had players like Di María, Mbappé, Messi, or Neymar to secure the win,” Ramos wrote on Twitter.

“Now, Dembélé and Barcola will need to step up their game if they want to match Mbappé’s numbers. Monaco has taken the lead.”

The reigning Ligue 1 champions will return from the FIFA break on October 19 when they face RC Strasbourg at the Parc des Princes.