Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain beat Reims 3-0 on the road on Saturday to go to the top of the Ligue 1 table.
In Champagne country, Mbappe scored the first goal in the third minute. He scored twice more in the second half to give PSG the win and move them one point ahead of Nice, who tied at Montpellier on Friday.
PSG also had goalie Gianluigi Donnarumma to thank for stopping Reims from getting back into the game with a series of great stops. Luis Enrique’s team was able to bounce back from their Champions League loss to AC Milan last week.
This season, Mbappe has scored 13 goals in 11 games, which is the most in Ligue 1. The France leader has also scored twice in European play.
“To be honest, I don’t need to play well to score goals, but I want to score goals and play well at the same time.” “That’s my goal: to always do what I can to help the team,” Mbappe told Amazon Prime.
Mbappe said, “It is a different competition and all we wanted to do was win.” He was asked about getting back on track after the loss in Milan. Thanks for the draw. We wanted to be in first place. We’re happy that the job is done.
“We will have time to think about the Champions League but Ligue 1 is a different competition and that means a different mindset and a different way of playing.”
PSG’s chances of making it to the next round of the Champions League are now in doubt after their 2-1 loss in Milan on Tuesday. They still have two group games to play, but they finally seem to have found their groove at home after a shaky start to the season.
Don Donnarumma in great shape
French manager Luis Enrique wanted his team to win their fifth straight Ligue 1 game. They took the lead almost immediately when Mbappe met Ousmane Dembele’s cross from the right side and volleyed the ball low across the goalie and into the bottom corner of the net with his side foot.
A great goal by Japanese player Junya Ito was ruled offside, denying Reims an equaliser. The same player was then denied by Donnarumma, who also made a great reaction save from Amir Richardson before halftime.
Achraf Hakimi and Randal Kolo Muani were both banned, so PSG was missing those two players. They were thankful to Donnarumma again when he blocked a Marshall Munetsi header in the 56th minute, and they went ahead 2-0 three minutes later.
Mbappe got away from his defender with a great cutting run to the back post, where he scored after Carlos Soler’s perfect pass across the face of the goal.
Donnarumma did it again, stopping Zimbabwe player Munetsi. Then, with eight minutes left, Mbappe finished off a pass from replacement Bradley Barcola to make it 3-0.
Nice is still perfect this season after their tie in Montpellier on Friday. They also haven’t been behind in a game yet this season.
Fifth-placed Nice can pass third-placed Monaco on goal difference if they win their late Saturday game at Le Havre.
Reims is still in fourth place.