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Champions League soccer: Zidane rips Real Madrid after loss to PSG

By Alex Butler
Angel Di Maria scored twice for Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League win over Real Madrid on Wednesday in Paris. Photo by Ian Langsdon/EPA-EFE
Angel Di Maria scored twice for Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League win over Real Madrid on Wednesday in Paris. Photo by Ian Langsdon/EPA-EFE

Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane ripped his squad for a lack of intensity after a loss to Paris Saint-German in the group stage of the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League.

PSG shutout the La Liga power 3-0 in the Group A match Wednesday at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. Former Madrid star Angel Di Maria scored twice in the victory. PSG striker Neymar was serving the first part of his two-game ban and missed the match.

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"We really lacked intensity," Zidane told reporters. "At this level, if you don't show intensity, you make life difficult. We lost all of our one-on-one battles. We know what a good team they are. It was a poor match for us.

"They were better, we weren't at the level required."

Di Maria drew first blood for PSG in the 14th minute. Mauro Icardi had his back to the goal during the sequence. He flicked the ball into the left flank, finding left back Juan Bernat. Bernat then sent a cross toward the near post. Di Maria stabbed the ball with his left boot. His shot tucked inside the near post, beating Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois.

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Di Maria scored his second goal in the 33rd minute. Midfielder Idrissa Gueye found the Argentine at the top of the box during that exchange. Di Maria received the short pass from Gueye before blasting a shot into the right side of the net, beating a diving Courtois for a 2-0 lead.

PSG took the two-goal edge into the half before Thomas Meunier scored the final goal in stoppage time. Bernat picked up his second assist on that tally.

"We played very well, a real team performance," Bernat said. "We showed we know how to play together. I'm very happy with this first win of the season in the Champions League, especially against a team like Real Madrid. It's a good start to the group stage."

Madrid battles Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday in Seville, Spain. They return to Champions League play against Club Brugge on Oct. 1 in Madrid. PSG faces Lyon in Ligue 1 Sunday in Lyon, France. They play Galatasaray in the Champions League Oct. 1 in Istanbul, Turkey.

"Winning against Real Madrid is always hard because they are a fantastic side, especially in the Champions League," PSG manager Thomas Tuchel said. "We deserved to win because I think we played with more intensity and we had that little bit of luck you need to get that first goal. Playing at the Parc, with our supporters is a big help, they motivate us to give everything."

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