Champions League: Neymar makes impression as PSG crush Galatasaray

Paris Neymar marked his first start in a Champions League game in a year by scoring one goal and setting up two more as Paris SaintGermain cruised to a 50 win over Galatasaray on Wednesday Mauro Icardi and Pablo Sarabia netted in the first half at the Parc des Princes with the worlds most expensive player getting his teams third within two minutes of the restartKylian Mbappe scored the fourth goal and substitute Edinson Cavani added a late penalty as PSG who had already qualified for the last 16 as group winners made it 16 points out of a possible 18 in Group A to finish five points ahead of Real MadridHowever it was Neymar who made the biggest impression four days after starring in a 31 domestic victory at Montpellier and an injuryravaged year to the day after his last start in Europe against Red Star Belgrade Neymar was already super important in a very difficult game at Montpellier He was decisive in that game and he is improving said coach Thomas Tuchel He is working hard off the ball and going forward he is finding his form It is easier now for him to accelerate and he was really really goodDespite PSG already being through and France being in the grip of a transport strike that has almost completely shut down the Paris metro system the Parc des Princes was still largely full That included a sizeable travelling support and there were incidents outside the stadium ahead of the match between rival fan groups with police responding by firing tear gas before calm returnedThe game itself carried the air of a training exercise for the home side with Tuchel resting stars such as Angel Di Maria Thiago Silva Marco Verratti and goalkeeper Keylor Navas There was a start in midfield for the 17yearold Tanguy Kouassi who made his senior debut last weekend and has still not signed full professional termsA year in the wildernessThe two biggest stars were on the pitch though and both Neymar and Mbappe proved too hot for the Turkish champions to handle Mbappe lifted the ball over advancing Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera leaving Icardi with an easy finish to make it 10 just after the halfhour mark It was Icardis 12th goal of the season and it was followed three minutes later by Sarabia controlling Neymars pass and firing low into the far cornerAfter that Red Star game at the end of last seasons group phase in which Neymar scored in a 41 win he went on to miss both legs of the last16 defeat against Manchester United due to injury He then sat out the first three games of this European campaign because of suspension and was injured again for the following match a 10 win over Club Brugge Neymar returned for the 22 draw at Real Madrid a fortnight ago but only as a substituteThe Brazilian collected Mbappes layoff and fired low into the net to make it 30 in the 47th minute and then returned the favour releasing the French World Cup winner to score his fifth Champions League goal of the season and make it 40 after the hour mark All that was left was for Cavani the real PSG fans favourite currently relegated to the role of backup to convert a late penalty making it 50 after Mbappe had been brought down with Neymar happy for the Uruguay striker to take over penalty duties We are in this together as a team and I hope him giving the penalty to Edi is a symbol for the team this season added TuchelGalatasaray finish with a paltry one goal and two points in the group and miss out on the consolation of a Europa League spot in the new year to Club BruggeCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever