Ferran Torres scores debut brace as PSG recover from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Rennes
Substitute Ferran Torres scored two second-half goals as Paris Saint-Germain recovered from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 against Rennes in their Ligue 1 opener at Roazhon Park.
Rennes capitalise on first-half efficiency
Paris Saint-Germain opened their Ligue 1 campaign on Sunday, 23 August 2026, with a 2-2 draw against Stade Rennais at Roazhon Park. The defending French champions controlled 72% of ball possession throughout the first half under manager Luis Enrique, but they struggled to convert territorial control into goals. Rennes seized the lead in the ninth minute through a swift counter-attack, as Estéban Lepaul converted an awkward clearance into a flicked header for Sebastian Szymanski to score with a long-range strike. Paris Saint-Germain attempted to respond, yet Ousmane Dembélé failed to convert their clearest first-half opening in the 37th minute. Just one minute later, Rennes punished the visitors again when Przemyslaw Frankowski delivered a cross from the wing, allowing Lepaul, the league's top scorer last season with 21 goals, to double the lead.
Tactical overhaul at the interval
Displeased with his team's first-half display and two-goal deficit, Luis Enrique made decisive tactical substitutions ahead of the second half. The Spanish manager withdrew both Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at the break, introducing recent signing Mika Godts alongside Spanish forward Ferran Torres, who arrived from FC Barcelona the previous week. Paris Saint-Germain adjusted their tempo in attack, although Rennes goalkeeper Brice Samba denied the capital club with a double save early in the second period. Around the 60th minute, Luis Enrique introduced Spanish midfielder Fabián Ruiz to provide greater passing precision through the central channels. The substitutions reshaped the flow of the match, allowing Paris Saint-Germain to generate direct chances inside the Rennes penalty area.
- Sebastian Szymanski opens scoring for Rennes on a counter-attack
- Ousmane Dembele misses PSG's best first-half scoring chance
- Esteban Lepaul scores from Przemyslaw Frankowski's cross to make it 2-0
- Luis Enrique substitutes Dembele and Kvaratskhelia for Torres and Godts
- Fabian Ruiz enters the match for Paris Saint-Germain
- Ferran Torres scores for PSG from a Fabian Ruiz assist
- Ferran Torres scores the equalising goal from a second Ruiz assist
Ferran Torres delivers second-half brace
The introduction of the Spanish duo transformed Paris Saint-Germain's attack over an eleven-minute span. In the 71st minute, Ruiz found Torres in space, and the former Barcelona forward converted past Samba to reduce the deficit to 2-1. Rennes retreated under sustained pressure as the visitors continued to push forward through midfield. In the 82nd minute, Ruiz delivered his second assist of the evening, finding Torres in the box to slot home the equalising goal. The 2-2 scoreline prevented Paris Saint-Germain from suffering their first opening-round league defeat since 2020, when they lost 1-0 to a Lens team managed by current Rennes head coach Franck Haise.
Squad development and league standings
The point earned at Roazhon Park left Paris Saint-Germain eighth in the Ligue 1 standings after the opening round of matches. The draw followed a 1-0 defeat to Lens in the Trophée des Champions at Stade Bollaert a week earlier, where Paris Saint-Germain failed to find an equaliser despite playing over half the game with an extra man. During the post-match press conference, Luis Enrique praised the impact of his new forward while acknowledging broader tactical deficiencies across the pitch.
Ferran didn't play badly, did he?
The manager noted that the squad still needs to improve in every department before their upcoming league fixtures, citing defensive vulnerability on counter-attacks and a lack of attacking efficiency during the opening forty-five minutes in Brittany.
