Sunday 25th August 2018
French Ligue 1
Parc des Princes, Paris
Paris Saint Germain (0) 4
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting 50, 75,
Mathieu Goncalves 55 OG,
Marquinhos 83
Toulouse FC (0) 0
Paris Saint Germain: 16) Alphonse Areola, 31) Colin Dagba, 5) Marquinhos (C), 22) Abdou Diallo (2) Thiago Silva 400, 14) Juan Bernat, 6) Marco Verratti, 27) Idrissa Gueye, 11) Ángel di María, 19) Pablo Sarabia, 9) Edinson Cavani (17) Maxim Choupo-Moting 14), 7) Kylian Mbappe-Lottin (33) Arthur Zagre 66)
Unused subs - 3) Presnel Kimpembe, 8) Nikola Maksimovic, 12) Thomas Meunier, 30) Marcin Bulka
Toulouse: 30) Baptiste Reynet, 5) Steven Moreira, 2) Kelvin Adou, 19) Bafode Diakite, 13) Mathieu Goncalves (25) Wesley Said 71), 12) Isiagga Sylla, 7) Max Gradel (C), (17) Ibrahima Sangare, 21) William Vainqueur (10) Aaron Iseka 60), 27 Jean-Victor Makengo, 20) Efthymios Koulouris (14) Mathieu Dossevi 60)
Unused subs - 3) Presnel Kimpembe, 8) Nikola Maksimovic, 12) Thomas Meunier, 30) Marcin Bulka
Unused subs -
15) Fabien Farnolle, 1) Mauro Goicoechea, 11) Quentin Boisgard, 6) Kalidou Sidibe
15) Fabien Farnolle, 1) Mauro Goicoechea, 11) Quentin Boisgard, 6) Kalidou Sidibe
A romantic, four day, extended Bank Holiday weekend break, in the 'City of Light', at a suitably named and well appointed guest house, tucked away conveniently between the Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est main Parisian rail terminals, had been in the planning stages for a long time... as have further trips abroad in the near future to: Austria, Belgium, France again and Poland.
Having finally conquered the various ailments, that have forced me (and the Blond Beelzebub) into putting so much on hold, for far too long, we fully intend to make up for all of the lost time, and then some, at the earliest opportunity.
Having finally conquered the various ailments, that have forced me (and the Blond Beelzebub) into putting so much on hold, for far too long, we fully intend to make up for all of the lost time, and then some, at the earliest opportunity.
Subsequently: Fußballclub Mauerwerk, Royal Antwerp and Wisła Kraków, will be similarly patronised in due course.
But, bloody hell fire! I ask you.... just what sort of time of the year is this to be getting on with all of this travelling about malarkey?
'Tis the football season for Christ's sake... and though my marriage and personal health, probably both fall into the top seven most important things in my life, a man needs to get some kind of grip on perspective at times like this, and tend to one's priorities first and foremost.
Hence, I secured a pair of tickets for us to attend a local football match during our stay.
Originally, the game at the Parc des Princes, was meant to be kicking off on the Saturday night, at 7PM (UK time), but a couple of days after I'd booked deux billets via the PSG online ticket portal, this was re-scheduled to 9PM on the Sunday... which actually fitted in better with our schedule, but must have been problematic for a whole lot of people who had pre-booked travel arrangements, specifically to attend this fixture.
But, bloody hell fire! I ask you.... just what sort of time of the year is this to be getting on with all of this travelling about malarkey?
'Tis the football season for Christ's sake... and though my marriage and personal health, probably both fall into the top seven most important things in my life, a man needs to get some kind of grip on perspective at times like this, and tend to one's priorities first and foremost.
Originally, the game at the Parc des Princes, was meant to be kicking off on the Saturday night, at 7PM (UK time), but a couple of days after I'd booked deux billets via the PSG online ticket portal, this was re-scheduled to 9PM on the Sunday... which actually fitted in better with our schedule, but must have been problematic for a whole lot of people who had pre-booked travel arrangements, specifically to attend this fixture.
Please don't think that the trajectory of my marital relationship and life in general, circumnavigates around the points of some 'beautiful game' compass; just because, we're spending the weekend in London, the capital city of England, in a fortnight's time too... when, purely by coincidence (a massive one, I grant you), Charlton Athletic are hosting Birmingham City at precisely the same time that we will be in the nearby Greenwich.
I reckon that it would be rude not to drop in and have a look while we're in the vicinity, don't you!?
I reckon that it would be rude not to drop in and have a look while we're in the vicinity, don't you!?
Four days was never going to be long enough to take in everything that Paris has to offer, but a return journey is on the cards later this season, most likely when Red Star FC have a home game at their 10,000 capacity Stade Bauer home, in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, which is easily reached via Line 13 of the Paris Metro system.
An old friend of mine, who used to co-edit a Worksop Town fanzine: 'The Toothless Tiger', lives in the Saint-Ouen area these days, and upon hearing of our whereabouts over the last few days, invited me along to a Red Star game (Ligue 3) when we're next in town. I love it when a plan comes together... see you soon John!
In my humble opinion, the highlight of our non-football related itinerary, was a visit to the Louvre Museum, which is ginormous, and required far more time to adequately cover than the mere five hours we had set aside for exploration purposes. The Egyptian artefacts section was closed because visitors aren't allowed in there of a Friday, for whatever reason, so we'll have to return some other time.
Going all 'Trip Advisor' on you for a moment, if you want to see the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting of the 'Mona Lisa' while you're in the 'Louvre', don't head for the Italian painters section... and complete ignore the visitors guide and map too, as well as several mischievously placed completely misleading signs, because that particular piece of art, is right in the middle of the French painters exhibitions, in section 811 of this most impressive site.
But be warned, you'll only be able to view the picture, which was considerably smaller than I'd imagined it to be, from ten yards away, behind a barrier, where you are allowed to study the old misery guts, displayed in a glass case, for all of seven seconds (that's the official time, by the way), before a team of surly and burly security guards move you on, before ushering in the next entourage of fleeting visitors.
I did ask if the painting had been relocated to help boost traffic through the section of the museum that housed the output of the less popular local talent, but was duly advised that such a notion was a rather cynical notion on my part, pertaining to what was merely a coincidental temporary re-siting of the museum's most famous exhibit. Cynique, moi? La pensée même! Je n'aurais certainement pas fait tout mon possible pour regarder les peintures de Monet autrement.
An old friend of mine, who used to co-edit a Worksop Town fanzine: 'The Toothless Tiger', lives in the Saint-Ouen area these days, and upon hearing of our whereabouts over the last few days, invited me along to a Red Star game (Ligue 3) when we're next in town. I love it when a plan comes together... see you soon John!
Going all 'Trip Advisor' on you for a moment, if you want to see the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting of the 'Mona Lisa' while you're in the 'Louvre', don't head for the Italian painters section... and complete ignore the visitors guide and map too, as well as several mischievously placed completely misleading signs, because that particular piece of art, is right in the middle of the French painters exhibitions, in section 811 of this most impressive site.
I did ask if the painting had been relocated to help boost traffic through the section of the museum that housed the output of the less popular local talent, but was duly advised that such a notion was a rather cynical notion on my part, pertaining to what was merely a coincidental temporary re-siting of the museum's most famous exhibit. Cynique, moi? La pensée même! Je n'aurais certainement pas fait tout mon possible pour regarder les peintures de Monet autrement.
The best way to reach the Paris Saint-Germain's ground, is via Porte de Saint-Cloud metro station, which stands just four stops further out from the city centre than the Trocadéro, where you can alight to peruse the Eiffel Tower and it's surrounding attractions, distractions, street hawkers and performers... and take your chances with the pick-pockets that the area is notorious for.
On reaching your destination, leave the Metro station through Exit 1, and you'll immediately spot the stadium to your left... failing that follow the trail of Kalashnikov rifle packing National Gendarmerie officers, the over the top maze type labyrinth of temporary fencing and plethora of over officious and not particularly helpful and mostly unfriendly stewards, and you can't go wrong.
Parc de Princes was built on the site of the old Vélodrome, that had originally been in situ since 1897.
The stadium, was designed by the architect Roger Taillibert, and was opened on 4th June 1972, by the then French President: Georges Pompidou. It must've looked quite modern back in the day, with it's ring shaped cantilever roof, supported by 50 concrete columns. Whereas some might sat that it now takes on the appearance of an antiquated fossil of a bygone age when concrete was king.
The first ever football match to be staged at the Parc des Princes, was the 1972 Coupe de France final, which saw Olympic Marseille beat Sporting Club of Bastia 2-1.
In more recent times, SC Bastia have slid from the ranks of professional football and now compete in the National 2 division, an amateur competition that is the French equivalent of non-league football... for the record: Les Bleus won promotion from National 3 at the end of last season, while Marseille themselves have, of course, had a significantly better time of things during the interim.
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club was founded on the 12th August 1970, as the result of a merger of Paris Football Club and Stade Saint-Germain.
The newly amalgamated club, gained promotion to Ligue 1 in their first ever season in existence, after winning the Ligue 2 title.
However, that initial euphoria was soon put on hold, when the two clubs parted company in 1972.
A split that saw Paris FC remain in Ligue 1, while Paris Saint-Germain (who kept the name) were demoted and decanted into Ligue 3, by way of an administrative sanction by the French football authorities.
A split that saw Paris FC remain in Ligue 1, while Paris Saint-Germain (who kept the name) were demoted and decanted into Ligue 3, by way of an administrative sanction by the French football authorities.
But just two seasons later PSG surged back up through the ranks to the top flight of French football in 1974, and moved into the Parc des Princes that same year. Subsequently, they have never been relegated from Ligue 1, whereby Paris FC, who currently ply their trade in Ligue 2, have plummeted dramatically in the opposite direction and even dropped out of the professional game altogether for a while.
More about them at a later date methinks, with one eye on the easyJet.com flight schedule and the other on the Ligue 2 fixture list.
Our mode of transport across from Blighty this weekend, a Eurostar train service, cost a bit more (quite a bit more) than a budget airline would've done (though the price structure depends on what time of day you are willing to travel). But the Channel tunnel and a bit of luxury en route, was on Mrs W's bucket list this time around, so needs must.
Toulouse, which is situated roughly 420 miles/680KM to the south of Paris, was left without a top flight side in 1967, when Toulouse FC sold all of its players and it's place in Ligue 1, to the aforementioned Paris outfit Red Star, but three years later a new club, Union Sportive Toulouse, was formed. Originally sporting red and yellow jerseys, they started life in Ligue 2 and reclaimed the name Toulouse FC in 1979, when they began wearing the purple (violet) and white colours that are by now synonymous with tonight's visiting club.
Le Téfécé, Les Pitchouns, or Les Violets (why settle for one nickname, when you can have three?), gained promotion to Ligue 1 in 1982. Since then it's been a dizzy old trajectory that they've followed, occupying both Ligues 1 and 2 at regular intervals,while even slipping to the third flight in 2001, following financial difficulties.
But Toulouse were back in League 1 two years later... and though they have hardly become a powerhouse of the French game, they have enjoyed several spells competing in European competition down the years.
But Toulouse were back in League 1 two years later... and though they have hardly become a powerhouse of the French game, they have enjoyed several spells competing in European competition down the years.
We entered the stadium at the turnstiles for section N, having first visited the PSG superstore to marvel at the mind-blowing prices... before leaving again ASAP.
To our right were a group of what seemed to be PSG's younger Ultras element, who had arrived at the stadium under the banner proclaiming: 'Supporters Criminals'... and to their right, behind a net that extended from the roof to the floor, was a sparsely populated section set aside for the away supporters.
I guess that a good number of them would have been put off by the fact that it's a four and a half hour train journey from Toulouse, for a 9PM Sunday night kick off... compounded by the almost certain knowledge, that the hosts were odds on favourites to beat them rather comfortably.
And in the event, that is exactly what happened.
To our right were a group of what seemed to be PSG's younger Ultras element, who had arrived at the stadium under the banner proclaiming: 'Supporters Criminals'... and to their right, behind a net that extended from the roof to the floor, was a sparsely populated section set aside for the away supporters.
I guess that a good number of them would have been put off by the fact that it's a four and a half hour train journey from Toulouse, for a 9PM Sunday night kick off... compounded by the almost certain knowledge, that the hosts were odds on favourites to beat them rather comfortably.
And in the event, that is exactly what happened.
The main Ultras section was at the opposite end of the ground from where we were sitting... although the noise that emanated from all around the Parc des Princes throughout the entire game, made for a cracking atmosphere.
Toulouse set out their stall early on, with what was effectively a damage limitation approach to the game. Any self respecting Western film buff, would've been proud of the way that the visitors circled their wagon train around the goal they were defending, while waiting to repel the inevitable impending barrage of fire, that was soon forthcoming when Kylian Mbappe tested 'Les Violets' keeper Baptiste Reynet, twice inside the opening four minutes.
As expected, Edison Carvani was chipping away at the visitors defence and carving out a few chances for himself too, but his input to the game was curtailed abruptly, when he had to limp out of the action inside the opening quarter of a hour, to be replaced by the Cameroon internationalist (who joined PSG from Stoke City) Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
Neymar Jr is, of course, out of sorts with himself in both the head and attitude department at this moment in time, and subsequently, he's out of favour with Thomas Tuchel, the German born head coach at Parc des Princes too, and if most of the ongoing speculation is to be believed, he'll most likely never play for the reigning Ligue 1 champions again. But money talks, so let's wait and see how that scenario develops in the fullness of time.
Player power is one thing, but no individual is ever more important than the club he is paid handsomely represent... and by any stretch of the imagination, his self-centred arrogance is disrespectful to his teammates, his club and their supporters in extremes.
It is reckoned that the petulant Brazilian is heading back to Barcelona, but, if that move does ever transpire, it would probably be good practice on Barca's part, to have a 'no Billy big time, spoilt bastard tantrums on our watch, or you'll be getting your arse spanked and sent to bed early without any tea... and grounded from seeing your hairdresser for a whole month' type clause, written into his contract.
If the player does represent PSG again, any time soon, then he can expect a noisy backlash from a large number of the home support, for what they see as his 'whoring' of his services to the Catalonian giants. One banner we saw translated loosely as: "Neymar is a Brazilian whore, like mother, like son".
Toulouse managed a couple of counter attacks during what was a virtually one-sided and one-way first half, but they will have been more than happy to have been going into the interval with the score still standing at 0-0... for now, least-ways.
Following this third round of League 1 games, Brittany based Rennes FC, who beat PSG 2-1 at Roazhon Park last weekend, top Ligue 1, after picking up a maximum nine points from their opening three fixtures. So, although there is still a long way to go, Les Rouge et Bleu (or Les Parisiens if you prefer, given that they too have more than one nickname), needed a win tonight to stay on the heels the early season pacemakers and they duly dispatched Toulouse with four second half goals, to move up to third in the table, and onto six points, within touching distance of second placed Olympique Lyonnais, who just happened to appear on this very blog a month ago, when they beat Arsenal to claim the Emirates Cup at Ashburton Grove (or the Emirates Stadium to give it, its Sunday name).
But tonight's result came at a cost, as Mbappe tweaked his hamstring chasing a pass forward towards the dead-ball line, and he had to be substituted in the sixty sixth minute.
Prior to Mbappe's premature departure, Choupo-Moting was denied by Reynet's acrobatic save in the opening minute of the second half, before working himself some space to break the deadlock with a shot on the turn, that went in off of the post before Mathieu Goncalves couldn't get out of the way of Pablo Sarabia's stab towards the Toulouse goal and turned the ball into his own net.
Five minutes after Mbappe left the field of play, Goncalves was involved again, when he handled the ball to concede a penalty, which was taken by Angel Di Maria, after the VAR facility had been consulted by the match referee.
But the home side were seeing the game out in cruise control by now and a neat interchange of passes culminated with Juan Bernat setting up a great chance for Choupo-Moting, that he gratefully applied the finishing touch to.
Reynet thwarted Choupo-Moting, denying him a hat-trick in the process, shortly before a well placed Marquinhos header, on the occasion of his 250th appearance for the Parisian side, wrapped up the scoring for the night.
FT: Paris Saint-Germain 4 v Toulouse 0
If the player does represent PSG again, any time soon, then he can expect a noisy backlash from a large number of the home support, for what they see as his 'whoring' of his services to the Catalonian giants. One banner we saw translated loosely as: "Neymar is a Brazilian whore, like mother, like son".
Following this third round of League 1 games, Brittany based Rennes FC, who beat PSG 2-1 at Roazhon Park last weekend, top Ligue 1, after picking up a maximum nine points from their opening three fixtures. So, although there is still a long way to go, Les Rouge et Bleu (or Les Parisiens if you prefer, given that they too have more than one nickname), needed a win tonight to stay on the heels the early season pacemakers and they duly dispatched Toulouse with four second half goals, to move up to third in the table, and onto six points, within touching distance of second placed Olympique Lyonnais, who just happened to appear on this very blog a month ago, when they beat Arsenal to claim the Emirates Cup at Ashburton Grove (or the Emirates Stadium to give it, its Sunday name).
Prior to Mbappe's premature departure, Choupo-Moting was denied by Reynet's acrobatic save in the opening minute of the second half, before working himself some space to break the deadlock with a shot on the turn, that went in off of the post before Mathieu Goncalves couldn't get out of the way of Pablo Sarabia's stab towards the Toulouse goal and turned the ball into his own net.
Five minutes after Mbappe left the field of play, Goncalves was involved again, when he handled the ball to concede a penalty, which was taken by Angel Di Maria, after the VAR facility had been consulted by the match referee.
Reynet thwarted Choupo-Moting, denying him a hat-trick in the process, shortly before a well placed Marquinhos header, on the occasion of his 250th appearance for the Parisian side, wrapped up the scoring for the night.
FT: Paris Saint-Germain 4 v Toulouse 0
Paris Saint-Germain no longer produce matchday programmes, they have a monthly generic club magazine, but that isn't game specific. However, I knew that the early editions of L'Equipe (a French daily sports newspaper of no small standing), that would be on sale in a shop just a short walk away from the Hotel Kuntz, at silly o'clock on Monday morning, would contain plenty of coverage of the night's entertainment... and it didn't disappoint. Ah, if only I'd concentrated a bit more in French lessons at school and had more than a rudimentary grasp of the basics to that end.
Tonight's hosts are away at Metz on Friday night, sans Carvani and Mbappe, while Toulouse have a Saturday evening home game against Amiens coming up, as they look to consolidate their mid-table position, with a view to laying the foundations for a slant at the European qualifying berths.
Suffice to say, if they really want to seriously challenge to finish the season in such a lofty position, they'll have to adopt a far more cavalier strategy than the one they did against their vastly superior opponents tonight.
Tonight's hosts are away at Metz on Friday night, sans Carvani and Mbappe, while Toulouse have a Saturday evening home game against Amiens coming up, as they look to consolidate their mid-table position, with a view to laying the foundations for a slant at the European qualifying berths.
As for Les Rouge et Bleu, well, they'll win Ligue 1 again, it's what they do innit. While hoping to make as big a dent in the European Champions League this season, as they will in the domestic competitions.
We finished the night off with another stop off at the Trocadero, to squeeze a few more drops of culture out of our excursion, before getting the last Metro train back to Gare du Nord and running the gauntlet of very insistent 'street vendors' offering bootleg fags, combustible escapism and large-breasted working girls, at more than reasonable prices.
But we declined their transactions, of course... while wishing that they were selling fish suppers or something more useful instead, because it was still several hours until our (continental) breakfast would be served.
Au revoir Paris ... à bientôt.
But we declined their transactions, of course... while wishing that they were selling fish suppers or something more useful instead, because it was still several hours until our (continental) breakfast would be served.
Au revoir Paris ... à bientôt.
