Paris Saint-Germain humiliated by emphatic Bastia comeback

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:24 am
Julian Palmieri scored twice as PSG were stunned by Bastia.
PASCAL POCHARD-CASABIANCA/AFP/Getty Images

Laurent Blanc suffered the most embarrassing defeat of his reign as Paris Saint-Germain coach as his side let slip a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 at relegation-threatened Bastia.

The reigning champions went into the game knowing a two-goal victory would see them leapfrog Lyon and Marseille and claim top spot in Ligue One for the first time this season.

After 20 minutes that was certainly on the cards as PSG threatened to blow away a team who started the day one off the foot of the table.

Blanc's side stamped their authority on the game in the 10th minute when Lucas Moura cleverly lifted the ball over Alphonse Areola after being played in behind the home defence by Yohan Cabaye.

Ten minutes later and it was 2-0, with Adrien Rabiot slotting beyond Areola after Javier Pastore and Blaise Matuidi combined to fashion space for him inside the area.

With the visitors thoroughly in control, Bastia were given a lifeline when Gregory Van der Wiel was adjudged to have handled inside the area, allowing Ryad Boudebouz to convert the resulting penalty.

On the stroke of half-time the Corsicans completed a first-half turnaround when Francois Modesto headed home Boudebouz's corner.

Whatever was said by Blanc during the interval failed to have any effect as Ghislain Printant's side grabbed the lead in the 56th minute, and in spectacular fashion.

There appeared to be little danger when Rabiot cleared another corner from Boudebouz, only for Julian Palmieri to rifle home a thunderous 25-yard volley.

The visitors later came within inches of an equaliser when Brazilain centre-back Thiago Silva rattled a first-time effort against the crossbar.

Instead, PSG and Blanc's misery was completed in the 89th minute when a breakaway move resulted in Palmieri slotting home his second and Bastia's fourth following an inviting cross from Abdoulaye Keita.

It is the first time in Blanc's 82 matches in charge to date his side have conceded four goals in a game.