The result will go down as a footnote, but it serves as a reminder of an immutable truth: a first pre-season match never forgives a lack of match sharpness. In their first summer outing, Paris Saint-Germain were beaten 3-0 on Mallorca's pitch on Wednesday evening, in a match where Luis Enrique had chosen above all to assess the fitness levels of his players rather than chase a result.
With a heavily reshuffled squad, deprived of numerous internationals who returned late from the World Cup, the European champions fielded a very young-looking side. Alongside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Senny Mayulu — captain for the night — and Ibrahim Mbaye, several French U19 champions and Gambardella winners were given the opportunity to make their mark.
An Encouraging Start Before the Cold Shower
The Parisians nonetheless began the match with good intentions. As early as the 3rd minute, Kvaratskhelia combined with Mayulu before being thwarted by Arnau Tenas, the former PSG goalkeeper who joined Mallorca this summer. PSG then dominated possession, showed intensity and appeared to gradually take control of the game.
Ibrahim Mbaye even came close to opening the scoring in the 20th minute, with a powerful strike that crashed against the crossbar. But as is often the case in this type of fixture, clinical finishing made the difference.
Shortly after, Luvumbo took advantage of a gap in the Parisian defence to beat Safonov with a powerful strike from a tight angle (21st). A first blow. As Paris tried to react, Virgili doubled the lead just before half-time: released down the left, he perfectly dipped the ball past Safonov to make it 2-0 (40th).
A PSG Lacking Match Sharpness
After the break, Lucas Chevalier replaced Safonov in goal, while Luis Enrique gradually made a series of substitutions. But Mallorca continued to benefit from their head start in pre-season preparation: sharper in their legs, more aggressive in duels and better organised collectively, the Spaniards added a third goal in the 51st minute through a header from their captain Antonio Raillo from a corner.
The remainder of the match looked more like a long physical training session than a genuine competitive encounter. Luis Enrique notably brought on Pacho and Ayari around the hour mark before giving playing time to several youngsters. Mayulu tried his luck once more, as did the Parisian captain, but the tempo dropped noticeably as the minutes ticked by in the Palma heat.
More Lessons Than Concerns
The scoreline is harsh, but it should not obscure the context. Mallorca were already playing their third pre-season match while Paris were playing only their first outing of the summer. Several key players are still absent following their post-World Cup holidays, and the team's automatisms logically still need to be built.
The evening was above all an opportunity to observe several promising young players:
- Ibrahim Mbaye, very incisive down his flank
- Senny Mayulu, active in midfield
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, one of the most inspired going forward despite the collective lack of efficiency
Defensively, however, the three goals conceded serve as a reminder that reference points remain fragile, particularly on transitions and set pieces.
Manchester United to Step Up a Gear
PSG will not have time to dwell on this first summer defeat. Luis Enrique's men will be back in action as early as Saturday in Gothenburg to face Manchester United, a clash of an entirely different level that will allow an assessment of the first signs of progress from a group still in the midst of building momentum.
In Palma, the result remained secondary. Legs were heavy, automatisms still in their infancy. The real PSG 2026-2027 version is still under construction — but this first outing is a reminder that even European champions must start from scratch every summer.
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