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PSG beat Ajaccio 5-0 at the Parc des Princes in Ligue 1 on Saturday (May 13) in a tense clash that saw both teams reduced to ten men in the second half. The visitors were also relegated from the top flight.
Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi scored in the opening stanza, while Kylian Mbappe struck a brace early into the second half before Mohamed Youssouf scored an own goal. Hakimi was later sent off for a heated altercation with Thomas Mangani, who also saw red following a VAR review.
Much of the pre-match talk centred around Lionel Messi returning to the starting XI after serving his suspension, but the Argentine had a rather quiet game. Ruiz broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute with a superb finish from inside the box, before Hakimi doubled their advantage, 11 minutes later.
Mbappe joined the party just two minutes into the restart. He doubled his tally for the night in the 54th minute with a stupendous volley after Sergio Ramos had sent in a long ball that came off the head of Cedric Avinel.
More humiliation was to follow for Ajaccio, as Youssouf put the ball into his own net in the 73rd minute to make it 5-0 for the Parisians. Shortly after, a scuffle broke out between players of the two teams as Lionel Messi was kicked to the floor, prompting other PSG players intervene.
Hakimi got too aggressive, pushing and shoving Ajaccio players and got sent off for that. Following a review on the pitchside monitor, the visitors were also reduced to ten men, as Mangani was shown a red, too.
PSG are now only four points away from the Ligue 1 title, while Ajaccio go back to the second divisiom just a year after their promotion. On that note, here are the player ratings for PSG:
Gianluigi Donnarumma - 7/10
Ajaccio mustered only shots on target in the game, and Donnarumma was on hand to save both. He also picked up his 13th clean sheet of the season in 35 league games.
Marquinhos - 6.5/10
Somehow, the talismanic PSG defender didn't make a single clearance, block, interception or tackle in 90 minutes of action. Aerially, too, he won just one of his five attempted duels. Marquinhos went into the books in the 78th minute for an altercation with the referee.
Sergio Ramos - 7.5/10
As reliable in defence as ever with three clearances and one blocked shot, Ramos also created Mbappe's second goal with a lovely ball over the top of the Ajaccio defence.
Danilo Pereira - 7/10
The Portuguese was solid in defence and read the game well. He made two clearances and interceptions apiece, completing 71 of 75 passes (95% accuracy).
Achraf Hakimi - 8/10
The Moroccan was on fire, scoring PSG's second goal and completing four crosses. His dribbling ability was on full display, too, as Hakimi took apart Ajaccio's defensc with effortless grace.
However, in the 77th minute, he was sent off for a scuffle, as his night ended in an anti-climactic end.
Marco Verratti - 7/10
PSG's pass-master was at it again, completing 90% of his passes as he helped dictate the tempo of the game.
Fabian Ruiz - 8/10
He unleashed the floodgates for PSG with an audacious outside-of-the-boot finish in the 22nd minute and demonstrated his passing skills, registering a 91% accuracy.
Juan Bernat - 6.5/10
A big menace down the left flank with tireless runs, Bernat lacked the end product to make a telling impact.
Lionel Messi - 7/10
It was rather quiet game for the PSG star on his return to the team after serving his suspension. You'd expect him to score on a goal-crazy night like this, but alas, that wasn't to be.
Hugo Ekitike - 7.5/10
Starting in the striker's role, Ekitike failed to test Ajaccio but bagged an assist for Mbappe's first goal. He was surrounded by defenders but spotted the Frenchman's run and laid it off for him to finish.
Kylian Mbappe - 9/10
He was PSG's star of the show once again with a spectacular brace. His second goal - a thumping volley from almost 30 yards out - was a work of art. He's also now back in the lead in the Ligue 1 Golden Boot with 26 goals, two more than Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette, who plays on Sunday.
Ratings of PSG substitutes against Ajaccio
Vitinha (64' for Verratti) - 6/10
He got himself involved in the thick of things.
Renato Sanches (64' for Ruiz) - 6.5/10
The Portuguese circulated the ball well.
El Chadaille Bitshiabu (70' for Periera) - 6.5/10
He, too, helped PSG keep possession in the final exchanges.
Carlos Soler (83' for Ekitike) - 6/10
He made one cross, but it didn't find anyone.
Warren Zaire-Emery (83' for Bernat) - 6/10
The youngster attempted two shots, but neither was on target.
