Le Havre-PSG: baptism of fire for Tenas, Donnarumma sees red... The tops and the flops

TOPS

Rumors speak of a departure on loan this winter, he who had still not played with Paris Saint-Germain whom he joined this summer, left free by FC Barcelona where he never played with the first team. Finally, Arnau Tenas played, and played very well. The 22-year-old goalkeeper, who entered in the 12th minute following the exclusion of Gianluigi Donnarumma, made the Le Havre attackers pale. He brilliantly slammed a volley from Yassine Kechta over his bar (51st), secured in front of Mohamed Bayo (58th) then had a very firm right hand on a cross deflected by the same Bayo (64th).

The Spanish international hopeful then disgusted Nabil Alioui, winning two face-to-face matches in quick succession (78th). Then he flew away again on a flick from Bayo, which forced him to hit his back against his post (85th). Heroic, congratulated by all his teammates after the match, Arnau Tenas may have scored valuable points in Paris, he who is supposed to be the No.3 behind the injured Keylor Navas. He could continue next Saturday against Nantes (9 p.m.) since Donnarumma will be suspended.

Almost single-handedly, he air-conditioned a boiling Océane stadium at the start of the match, while Le Havre put PSG on the ropes. After a first opportunity where he came up against Arthur Desmas (20th), Kylian Mbappé corrected the situation. Found by Ousmane Dembélé at 16 meters, he fired a powerful right shot, hitting the post, leaving no chance for Desmas (23rd, 0-1). Paris really needed it.

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That's 15 goals in 13 L1 matches for the PSG captain, worthy of this status as when he calmed Donnarumma after his exclusion, inviting him to accept his fate and remotivating his teammates. A goal refused for a slight offside (32nd). At the origin of a big opportunity for Dembélé (70th) and imprecise at the time of killing the match (88th), but leader despite everything. Like his club in the ranking.

Luka Elsner had promised that his team would be bold against the Parisian ogre. She was, helped by “an ultra-favorable context” in the words of the Le Havre coach at the microphone of Amazon Prime Video. Still, the HAC, led by the centers of Christopher Opéri, the poison Josué Casimir or the entries of Nabil Alioui and Antoine Joujou, delighted its audience (22 shots, 7 on target). He was frustrated a lot by Tenas, a little by Carlos Soler or Danilo sometimes well placed in front of the goal line to counter a strike. “We harvested a lot,” admitted Elsner, who regrets having missed “the opportunity of the century”, that of paying PSG.

FLOPS

Fault against Monaco a week ago (5-2), against Newcastle five days ago (1-1), and now in Le Havre. Three matches, three consecutive errors for Gianluigi Donnarumma. On a clearance six meters from Desmas, the Parisian defense allowed itself to be caught behind its back by Casimir. Donnarumma, far from his area, did not have the right timing in wanting to touch the ball with his foot, only taking Le Havre who had controlled the leather. Logical red card (10th) which forced Luis Enrique to take out Bradley Barcola for the entry of Arnau Tenas. First exclusion in 91 matches with Paris for the Italian goalkeeper.

This is also why the start in Paris turned out to be nightmarish. Just before the exclusion of Donnarumma, PSG lost Fabian Ruiz, hit in the right shoulder in a duel that was innocuous with Dauler Kuzyaev on a Le Havre corner. Examined by the medical staff on the sidelines, the Spanish midfielder finally had to be transported on a stretcher to return to the locker room, leaving his place to Manuel Ugarte (8th). A hard blow for Paris which already has to do without Warren Zaire-Emery, package for the rest of 2023.