PARIS: Paris St Germain maintained their unbeaten record in Ligue 1 with a 3-0 win over Toulouse on Friday, but coach Luis Enrique is wary of his side’s level ahead of next week’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

PSG are one of three teams in Europe’s top five to remain unbeaten this season, along with Bundesliga leaders Bayern and Serie A sixth-placed Juventus, and while Luis Enrique recognises the quality of his players, he knows that their good run alone will not be enough to win the Champions League with his side languishing outside the top 24 in the new single-table format.

“I think that we have numbers in Ligue 1 that are in line with our quality and in the Champions League we are far from our level. It’s not logical,” the manager told a press conference.

“It is clear that we have to improve our effectiveness, there is no doubt about it... A competition like the Champions League is different, is short, fewer games, it does not reward regularity, it rewards being good at the right moments.

“However, I think it’s important to go into a Champions League match having won. It’s not that it’s decisive, but it’s more positive,” the coach added.

Goals from Lucas Beraldo, Vitinha and Joao Neves saw the French top flight leaders crush their visitors and move to 32 points, six ahead of second-placed AS Monaco who beat Brest 3-2 earlier on Friday.

Portuguese midfielder Neves opened the scoring with a volley served up from captain Achraf Hakimi after 35 minutes at the Parc des Princes where the home fans terracing was partially closed after homophobic chants last month.

Beraldo added the second in the 84th minute, scoring from around the penalty spot for his first goal of the season after he landed a rebound, before Vitinha netted a precise cross from fellow substitute Randal Kolo Muani seven minutes later to seal the points.

Monaco tightened their grip on second place against Brest, who like the hosts, face a demanding Champions League match on Tuesday.

Maghnes Akliouche scored twice on the counter-attack and Aleksandr Golovin hit his first of the season for Monaco, who sit third in the Champions League and entertain Benfica on Tuesday.

But Brest, who are fourth in the Champions League and visit Barcelona next week, dominated the second half and fought to the end.

“It was a tough fight until the end,” said Monaco coach Adi Hutter pointing out his team would need “a better performance” to beat Benfica.

Monaco started strongly, Akliouche finished a counter-attack after five minutes and hit a post four minutes later. Golovin added the second after 24 minutes.

Abdallah Sima cut the lead with a 50th-minute header and as his team pressed for a late equaliser, Monaco struck on the break in added time with Akliouche finishing the move with a piledriver.

Brest kept fighting and Ludovic Ajorque replied as time expired. They stay 12th but are only three points ahead of St Etienne in the relegation playoff spot.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2024