PSG leaves Barcola and Mbaye out of Rennes opener as Liverpool talks continue
Luis Enrique has excluded Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG's Ligue 1 opener at Rennes while including new signings Ferran Torres and Mika Godts.
Squad selection for the league opener
Paris Saint-Germain begins its Ligue 1 title defence on Sunday, 23 August, travelling to face Stade Rennais at Roazhon Park in a fixture scheduled for 20:45. Head coach Luis Enrique selected his first competitive squad of the domestic campaign, incorporating new summer signings while omitting multiple senior players. The selection confirmed details initially disclosed by RMC Sport ahead of the official club announcement. New offensive recruits Ferran Torres and Mika Godts earned selection for the matchday travelling party. In contrast, wingers Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye were left out entirely, alongside midfielder Senny Mayulu, who was left off the match sheet following technical choices by the coaching staff.
- Barcola and Mbaye watch Trophee des Champions defeat against Lens from the stands
- Luis Enrique addresses squad competition in pre-match press conference
- PSG begins Ligue 1 season against Stade Rennais at Roazhon Park
- Summer transfer window closes for paperwork signing and homologation
Transfer talks with Liverpool and squad precautions
The decision to sideline Barcola and Mbaye stems from weeks of active transfer discussions, as both wingers have formally expressed their desire to seek a new challenge away from Paris. English club Liverpool has registered firm interest in both French international Barcola and Senegalese international Mbaye, and both players are open to completing moves to the Premier League side. However, Paris Saint-Germain executives and Liverpool officials have not yet reached a financial agreement regarding transfer fees. Paris Saint-Germain leadership opted against selecting either player for matchday action to prevent injury risks that could collapse prospective deals. The two wingers experienced an identical omission during the previous weekend at the Trophee des Champions fixture against Lens. They watched Paris Saint-Germain's defeat directly from the stadium stands alongside sporting advisor Luis Campos before returning to the capital with the squad. Bilateral negotiations between the two clubs remain ongoing, with all transfer paperwork requiring official signature and homologation prior to the deadline on 1 September at 19:59. Until a resolution is finalized, both forwards are restricted to routine training sessions.
Integration of new recruits and tactical depth
The trip to Brittany provides Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning domestic title holders and double European champions, an opportunity to evaluate new attacking combinations on the pitch. Spanish forward Torres arrived from FC Barcelona following a summer where he scored in the World Cup final, though a truncated pre-season routine makes a place in the starting eleven unlikely. Belgian winger Godts, recruited from Ajax Amsterdam, adds further depth across the front line after completing his transfer. Addressing the competition for squad places, Luis Enrique outlined his selection dilemma during a pre-match press conference on Saturday, 22 August.
What I saw this week in training will improve the level compared to last year. There will be players outside the match sheet, it is very unfair.
The manager emphasized that increased training intensity raised the overall standard of the collective, forcing difficult choices that left multiple players in the stands ahead of the opening fixture.
