Paris Saint-Germain – Stade Rennais: Mbappé Magic Keeps PSG’s Lead Unassailable (1-0)

Runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain hosted Stade Rennais for the opening fixture of the 24th round of fixtures. With the Champions League knockout stages getting underway in midweek, the home side would have hoped to at least maintain their thirteen point lead at the top so that they could focus as much of their attention on continental football as possible. They ensured that with a win, but it was not as comfortable as one might have expected. 
Tactical analysis and match report by Neel Shelat.

Rennes were the only side to defeat PSG in the league this season as they comfortably won the reverse fixture with a 2-0 scoreline. After a slow start to the season, they climbed as high as second in the table on the fifteenth gameweek, but once again started to hit a few bumps along the way. A tally of just nine points from their last eight league fixtures had dropped them down to fifth, and with just a five-point gap to eleventh-placed Lille just five points, they could not afford too many more slip-ups in an incredibly tight race for the European spots.

PSG stuck to their 4-3-3 formation with Keylor Navas replacing Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal behind a back four of Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe and Juan Bernat. Julian Draxler, Leandro Paredes and Marco Verratti made up the midfield, whilst Lionel Messi operated as a false nine A striker that constantly drops deep and plays like a number ten. again after a great showing against . . .