PSG Triumphs Over Rennes Amid Controversial Referee Decisions

After a disappointing draw against Reims last week, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) bounced back with a convincing victory over Rennes at the Parc des Princes. While the Parisians celebrated their success, the Rennes side, particularly coach Julien Stéphan, expressed frustration over the officiating during the match.

With a crucial clash against Arsenal looming, PSG’s confidence soared following their win against Stade Rennais. However, the controversy surrounding officiating in Ligue 1 remains a hot topic, with Stéphan voicing his concerns after the game.

“There Should Have Been a Penalty”

In his post-match remarks, Julien Stéphan stated, “If we deserved two penalties at the Parc, they need to be called. We need clear decisions. Last year, it cost us the victory here, and I’m not saying it did again this time. But there was definitely a penalty that should have been awarded for Zaïre-Emery’s handball. I haven’t reviewed the incident involving Alidu Seidu, so I can’t comment on it. I assume it was justified if it was checked. At 3-2 with ten minutes left, the match would have been interesting to watch.” Despite his grievances, Stéphan acknowledged PSG’s overall performance.

“They Are Strong”

Stéphan added, “We were dominated by a team that can capitalize on long actions and mistakes that proved fatal for us. My regret is that we didn’t make the most of the balls recovered in the last 30 meters. We aimed to press them. We conceded the first goal during a phase where we were strong. We needed to improve our recovery quickly… Is PSG better than last season? Yes, but it’s too early to compare. They are strong individually in duels, winning many balls back. They can press, fall back, and are solid, although we saw some weaknesses towards the end of the match, especially with some late changes and a different dynamic.”