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With six matchdays behind us, Ligue 1 is starting to project familiar patterns. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), who were beaten by Lille in the title race last year, have emerged as strong favorites. The defending champions have lost their grip and do not seem to have enough firepower to climb back to the top. Marseille, Lens, Lyon and Monaco are trying their best, but are not as consistent as they need to be.
The sixth gameweek of the 2021-22 Ligue 1 campaign pitted PSG against Lyon. The match ended 2-1 in favor of the hosts PSG, which extended their 100% winning record in the division this season.
Other games were not as high profile, but there were some exceptional individual performances worth paying attention to. Today, we will check out the top five performers of gameweek six and tell you who shone the brightest in France’s Ligue 1 last weekend.
#5 Lionel Messi - PSG
Since moving from Barcelona this summer, the highest goalscorer in Spanish football history has had a hard time settling in at PSG. Lionel Messi is yet to register a goal or an assist in his three outings for the Ligue 1 giants, which is unusual for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.
On Sunday, however, the 34-year-old looked a lot like his former self, linking up with his new team-mates and making life difficult for Lyon. He worked particularly well with Kylian Mbappe and was a threat in and around the opposition box.
Messi also pulled the trigger on four occasions over the course of the match. Two efforts were on target while another came off the woodwork. Messi was subbed off in the 76th minute, making way for Achraf Hakimi. The Argentine was not particularly happy with the substitution, as he was seemingly expecting to finish his second Ligue 1 match.
#4 Habib Diallo - Strasbourg
Ligue 1 club Strasbourg have endured a difficult start to the 2021-22 campaign. They were beaten by Angers, PSG and Lyon, conceding a total of nine goals in three fixtures. On Saturday, however, they came out with fresh intent and walked away with maximum points against Metz.
The team’s coveted centre-forward Habib Diallo was the star of the show, netting two goals against former club Metz to secure maximum points for Strasbourg. Diallo struck first in the 26th minute when Gerzino Nyamsi’s ball found him inside the box. His right-footed shot gave the Metz keeper no chance.
Diallo scored his second in similar fashion, only this time, he slotted Ludovic Ajorque’s assist to the bottom right corner. His Ligue 1 brace pretty much sealed the win for Strasbourg, who now find themselves in 12th position with seven points.
#3 Randal Kolo Muani - Nantes
Gameweek six of Ligue 1 pitted an in-form Angers side against an inconsistent Nantes outfit. The result ended up surprising even the most ardent of Ligue 1 followers. Nantes won 4-1 away from home at Angers, which allowed them to move up to 10th position in the Ligue 1 table.
Moses Simon provided two assists and Ludovic Blas scored a brace, but it was Randal Muani who was the star of the spirited Nantes side. His first contribution came in the fourth minute when he drew a foul from Souleyman Doumbia. A penalty was awarded, which Blas easily dispatched.
Then in the 22nd minute, Muani latched on to Simon’s ball to hit the bottom-left corner of Angers’ goal. To top it off, he also assisted Blas to ease Nantes to a massive 4-1 win.
#2 Ui-Jo Hwang - Bordeaux
Without a single win in their first five Ligue 1 games, bottom-placed Bordeaux made the trip to Saint Etienne on matchday six. The visitors suffered two consecutive defeats heading into the match, meaning their confidence was at the bottom of the barrel.
Thankfully, the Bordeaux striker had enough belief in the team and was successful at leading them to victory. His first goal came in the sixth minute through Yacine Adli. His right-footed strike hit the bottom-right corner of St. Etienne's net, giving the keeper no chance.
He registered his second - and the winner - in the 79th minute from a tight angle. Thanks to Hwang's bravado, 17th-placed Bordeaux are now sitting a point above the relegation zone.
#1 Neymar - PSG
On Sunday night, coach Mauricio Pochettino finally got the opportunity to start Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe to start for PSG in Ligue 1. Messi failed to score a goal, Mbappe registered an assist, and the most expensive player in history, Neymar, scored an important penalty.
The mercurial Brazilian was the most prolific forward on the pitch for PSG on Sunday. He completed the most dribbles (10), won 18 duels, and was the most fouled player on the pitch (7). His quick feet drew a challenge from Malo Gusto in the 63rd minute, helping PSG win a penalty.
Neymar converted expertly from the spot to restore parity in the 66th minute. In stoppage time, substitute Mauro Icardi scored the all-important winner to snatch all three points for the hosts.
