PSG Player Ratings vs. Monaco: Doue Heroics Soften Dembele Blow

Désiré Doué scored twice off the bench as PSG fought back from a 2–0 deficit.

PSG will take a lead into next week’s second leg, thanks to Désiré Doué. | Valery HACHE/AFP/Getty Images

Paris Saint-Germain will have a lead to protect on home soil next week, as they rallied after falling two goals behind early to Monaco in the first leg of their Champions League knockout playoff.

Two-legged affairs against teams that know each other so well can often be tepid and cagey, but Tuesday night’s encounter was nothing of the sort.

An action-packed opening act saw the unfavoured hosts take a 2–0 lead courtesy of a brace from USMNT star Folarin Balogun, but the holders held their nerve, even after a penalty miss, to restore parity before the half-time interval.

Désiré Doué’s early introduction as a result of Ousmane Dembélé’s injury helped the visitors turn the tide, as the substitute halved PSG’s deficit and had a hand in Achraf Hakimi’s equaliser.

Aleksandr Golovin’s sending off for a shin-high challenge on Vitinha facilitated one-way traffic for almost the entirety of the second half, and PSG’s ominous pressure told as Doué scored a second with his so-called ’weaker’ left foot.

While unconvincing defensively, the holders will feel as if they have one foot in the last 16.

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The Moment That Defined The Match

Désiré Doué helped PSG turn the tide. | Simone Arveda/UEFA/UEFA/Getty Images

By the time PSG’s 2025 Ballon d’Or winner was forced off with yet another injury, the visitors had calamitously fallen two goals behind and missed a gilt-edged chance to get back into the contest from the penalty spot.

So, when Ousmane Dembélé trudged off before the 30-minute mark, it seemed like a classic case of things going from bad to worse for Luis Enrique’s side. After all, this is a PSG team that currently isn’t performing with the swashbuckling verve that typified their success last season.

They’re second in Ligue 1 after losing at Rennes on Friday night, and Dembélé hinted at some selfishness within the Parisian ranks post-match. “If we play as individuals on the pitch, it won't work, we won't win the titles we want,” he said.

Some speculated that Doué was the target, although Enrique was quick to rubbish any disharmony. Four evenings later, Doué’s introduction proved the turning point on what could’ve been a nightmare outing for the holders.

Two minutes after entering the fray, Doué struck with a pinpoint effort that cannoned off the post and in. Phillip Köhn had no chance. Köhn was equal to the Frenchman’s sharp strike from range 12 minutes later, but Achraf Hakimi fired home the rebound expertly.

Of the 11 games PSG have failed to win this season, Dembélé has played 30 minutes or less (or not at all in some cases) in seven of them. Doué, by completing his brace midway through the second half, helped Enrique’s men buck a concerning trend.

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PSG Player Ratings vs. Monaco (4-3-3)

Achraf Hakimi equalised in a frantic first half. | Simone Arveda/UEFA/UEFA/Getty Images

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Matfey Safonov—6.1: While there wasn’t much the Russian could have done to prevent PSG from falling 2–0 behind, Safonov certainly doesn’t look like a goalkeeper capable of bailing out his side as Gianluigi Donnarumma did at times last season.

RB: Achraf Hakimi—8.6: The Moroccan’s finish was superbly taken, and he once again served as a reliable attacking outlet down the right.

CB: Marquinhos (c)—7.1: The captain returned to the team on Tuesday night, but was caught out positionally for the first goal, with his jump into midfield unsuccessful and leaving a big gap for his partner to cover.

CB: Willian Pacho—6.8: Pacho really struggled early on. Struggled to sniff out the danger in both Monaco goal sequences.

LB: Nuno Mendes—7.5: It wasn’t Mendes’s powerful drives from deep that troubled Monaco here, rather his intricacy and positioning around the box.

CM: Vitinha—7.6: Shook off his penalty miss to produce a typically controlled midfield performance, especially after Monaco were reduced to 10 players.

CM: Warren Zaïre-Emery—8.2: Industrious enough and contributed in all phases, Zaïre-Emery teed up Doué’s winner after crashing the Monaco box.

CM: João Neves—7.8: The all-action Portuguese was a threat in the final third, and particularly effective when asked to counter-press.

RW: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia—7.5: Seems more of a threat off the left, but the Georgian was able to occupy central zones, and he should’ve scored a third before half-time after masterfully driving through the Monaco defence.

ST: Ousmané Dembélé—6.5: The Ballon d’Or winner was forced off with another injury after Monaco took a 2-0 lead before the half-hour mark.

LW: Bradley Barcola—7.9: The unpredictable Barcola is always a threat, and his directness is a huge asset. He combined well with Doué, but his finishing remains an issue.

SUB: Désiré Doué (27’ for Dembélé)—9.2: Game-changer. Doué’s performance served as a timely reminder of his brilliance.

SUB: Lee Kang-in (69’ for Kvaratskhelia)—6.6: A pretty simple cameo, given that PSG had all of the ball.

SUB: Gonçalo Ramos (82’ for Barcola)—N/A

Subs not used: Lucas Chevalier (GK), Renato Marin (GK), Lucas Beraldo, Illia Zabarnyi, Lucas Hernández, Dro Fernández, Ibrahim Mbaye.

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What the Ratings Tell Us

Willian Pacho had a night to forget. | Valery HACHE/AFP/Getty Images

• Willian Pacho was ubiquitous alongside stalwart Marquinhos during PSG’s Champions League success last season, but the Ecuadorian started the knockout stages of the latest iteration on a shaky note. He didn’t cover himself in glory for either of Monaco’s two goals, and defensive mishaps are continuing to plague this PSG team.
• Despite having a penalty saved by Phillip Köhn, Vitinha was able to produce a characteristically controlled performance at the base of PSG’s engine room. The Portuguese helped suck the life out of Monaco after Golovin was sent off, and the rotations between their midfield three were key to the away side bypassing pressure in the opening period.

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The Numbers That Explain PSG’s Impressive Fightback

Vitinha missed a penalty at 2–0. | Simone Arveda/UEFA/UEFA/Getty Images

• PSG were completely dominant, ending the night with 30 total shots and 80% of the possession. They took the game away from Monaco despite their early setback.
• While the red card completely stifled the hosts, PSG monopolised the ball in the first half, too. They had 77% possession before half-time, but were undone by two poor defensive sequences.
• Almost all of the 1.19 xG PSG surrendered was in the first half, depicting the high-quality openings Monaco were able to create in transition before Golovin was sent off.

Statistic	Monaco	PSG
Possession	20%	80%
Expected Goals (xG)	1.19	2.51
Total Shots	7	30
Shots on Target	4	10
Big Chances	2	4
Passing Accuracy	91%	55%
Fouls Committed	11	4
Corners	1	8

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