PSG beat Brest with a Ferran Torres stunner but leave more questions than answers

Paris Saint-Germain returned to winning ways in Ligue 1 with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Brest, settled by a moment of magic from Ferran Torres inside four minutes. The goal ended a concerning run of five matches without a win against French opponents. Even so, the performance was far from the statement Luis Enrique would have wanted from a side expected to dominate the division.

• Ferran Torres scored his sixth goal for PSG and has converted every shot on target so far this season.
• Brest finished the game with a higher xG than the European champions but could not beat Matvey Safonov.
• Luis Enrique said it was PSG's worst Ligue 1 display of the campaign despite the win.
• PSG sit five points behind Lille, Monaco and Rennes, who all lead on 10 points after four rounds.

Ferran Torres scores a stunning opener at the Stade Francis Le-Blé

The move that produced the only goal of the night showcased the attacking quality PSG possess. Ferran Torres started it by feeding João Neves, who found Ousmane Dembélé. The Frenchman drew in Raphaël Le Guen, beat him with a first-time back-heel, and released Torres into space. The Spaniard arrived late and placed a low finish from 25 yards into the bottom corner, giving Egil Selvik no chance.

It looked almost effortless, as if unfolding in slow motion, yet it was far too quick for the Norwegian goalkeeper. With barely four minutes gone, the champions were in front and the home crowd braced for a long evening. The anticipated exhibition never materialised.

Why PSG's narrow Ligue 1 win raises fresh concerns

Luis Enrique had described PSG's league start as catastrophic during the week. A 6-1 Champions League win over Slovan Bratislava, whose manager Yaya Touré called the Parisians a machine, appeared to signal a return to form. Yet in Brittany, familiar flaws resurfaced, even if the result finally went their way.

Torres is riding a wave of confidence, but several teammates are not. Vitinha has struggled to rediscover his rhythm since the summer break, and his usual incision is sorely missed. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has not yet hit his best levels either, while Matvey Safonov arrived under scrutiny after being beaten at his near post by Stanis Idumbo in the defeat to Monaco.

Matvey Safonov repays the faith with decisive saves

Despite the doubts, the Russian goalkeeper proved vital in ending PSG's poor run against domestic rivals. He was helpless when Nuno Mendes inexplicably played Kamory Doumbia through one-on-one in the second half, but the Malian struck the outside of the post. Safonov then got down well to palm away a powerful header from Doumbia and, late on, tipped Pathé Mboup's curling effort around the post.

Brest finished with a higher xG than the European champions but had nothing to show for it. Moments of quality in both boxes made the difference. Luis Enrique summed it up bluntly: "For me, it was the worst of our four Ligue 1 matches, even if we won. In the other three, we showed a high level at the back, but our opponents scored every chance. This time it was the opposite."

A slow start that has become familiar for the champions

No alarm bells are ringing just yet in Paris. PSG have a habit of starting seasons slowly, and last year the quality of their early opponents helped prevent a significant gap from opening up. Now, after four matchdays, they trail Lille, Monaco and Rennes by five points.

Marquinhos had spoken earlier in the week about ambition and motivation as the squad aims to replicate the success of the past two seasons. Like Torres' placed finish, this PSG side tends to get its timing right and has a knack for peaking when it matters most.

Brest pay an emotional tribute to Eric Roy

The match was played against a deeply emotional backdrop. Brest honoured Eric Roy, the manager who led the club into European competition for the first time in its history. Roy died in June after a battle with pancreatic cancer, which he had faced since his appointment in January 2023. His diagnosis was never made public.

Roy's daughter, Victoria-Rose, addressed the crowd before kick-off. Staff wore shirts bearing the words "King Eric" on the sidelines, and tributes continued throughout the game. Captain Hugo Magnetti said the players had performed for Roy: "He would have been proud of us, but he would also have told us off for missing some big chances."

Cameron Archer lifts Auxerre off the bottom as Nice sink

Elsewhere, Will Still's Auxerre picked up their first points of the season thanks to Cameron Archer. The young English forward, on loan from Southampton, scored a stunner on his debut in last weekend's 3-1 defeat to Lyon and followed it up with the only goal against Nice.

The win moves Auxerre off the bottom of the table, a position now occupied by Nice. Olivier Pantaloni's side remain winless and have scored just once in their opening four games. The coach admitted there are traces of last season's difficult campaign still lingering in his players' minds.

Pressure builds at Marseille after a third straight defeat

The temperature is already rising at Marseille. The season began brightly with a 4-0 home win over Strasbourg, but defeats to Monaco, Paris FC and Rennes have followed. None of those losses is particularly shameful: the games were close and the opponents are expected to challenge for Europe.

Bruno Génésio said after the 1-0 defeat at Rennes that his side can rival those teams but not yet beat them. He added that it was not up to him to state the club's objectives, a clear message to the board. The lack of squad depth suggests Marseille are outsiders in the battle for European qualification.