French international winger Bradley Barcola scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Montpellier 6-0 on Friday, continuing their impressive start to the Ligue 1 season without Kylian Mbappe.
In addition to Barcola, PSG’s goals came from Marco Asensio, Achraf Hakimi, Warren Zaire-Emery, and Lee Kang-in at the Parc des Princes. PSG has now scored 10 goals in their first two games of the season.
Luis Enrique’s squad, featuring a youthful lineup with two teenagers starting and eight players aged 18 to 25, demonstrated strong performance against Montpellier.
Joao Neves, a 19-year-old Portugal midfielder, made his first start after joining from Benfica for a potential 69.9 million euros ($78.2 million). Desire Doue, also 19 and part of the recent Olympic silver-winning French team, made his debut as a second-half substitute after transferring from Rennes for an initial 50 million euros.
PSG had previously won 4-1 at Le Havre in their opening match, and their performance against Montpellier showcased their capabilities as they aim for an 11th French title in 13 seasons, despite the departure of Mbappe.
Montpellier, struggling financially due to a reduced domestic broadcast deal, have not made any new signings this season and received only seven million euros from television rights. This financial disparity made it difficult for Montpellier to compete.
The match began with Barcola scoring in the fourth minute with a first-time finish. Midway through the first half, he assisted Asensio for the second goal. The third goal, scored eight minutes into the second half, came from a pass by Asensio to Dembele, who set up Barcola.
By the hour mark, PSG led 5-0 with Hakimi scoring from a Mendes cross and Zaire-Emery finishing after a nutmeg. Lee Kang-in added the sixth goal in the 82nd minute.
This match marks the second time PSG have scored six goals in a Ligue 1 game since Luis Enrique took charge, with the previous instance being a 6-2 victory against Montpellier in March.
Upcoming Ligue 1 fixtures include Lyon hosting Monaco, Lille facing Angers, and Saint-Etienne playing Le Havre on Saturday. Marseille, who won 5-1 against Brest, will play Reims on Sunday.
