PARIS: Javier Pastore’s double helped Paris St Germain bounce back from their Champions League humbling against Barcelona as he inspired the French champions to a 3-1 win at Nice on Saturday to reclaim top spot in Ligue 1.

PSG, who lost 3-1 at home to Barca in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, now have 65 points from 32 games and lead second-placed Olympique Lyon by one point.

Monaco are third, six points off the pace having played a game more, after Bernardo Silva’s 29th minute-opener was cancelled out by Habib Habibou’s late strike in a 1-1 home draw against Stade Rennes.

The principality side host Juventus in their Champions League quarter-final second leg on Wednesday having lost 1-0 in the first leg.

A crisp finish to a cross from winger Lucas by Pastore put PSG in charge against the run of play before Mathieu Bodmer deflected a speculative effort from Said Benrahma to level with the last kick of the half.

But PSG took a decisive lead in the second half with a fine volley from Pastore and an Edinson Cavani penalty in a game sandwiched between Champions League commitments with Laurent Blanc’s side facing a massive task against Barca in Tuesday’s return leg at the Nou Camp.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2015

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