Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe rose to the occasion to help PSG defeat Marseille in Ligue 1 in the top-of-the-table clash.
Messi scored once and assisted both of Mbappe’s goals as the visitors romped to a 3-0 win and avenge their loss to Igor Tudor’s side in the French Cup.
Coming into the contest on the back of a narrow win over Lille, PSG needed a positive result but that looked far-fetched as Marseille pressed them high to create early trouble.
Their approach proved to be their undoing in the 25th minute when Messi sent Mbappe through and the Frenchman hammered the ball past Pau López for the game’s opening goal.
Just four minutes later Mbappe returned the favour, finding Messi with a perfect low cross which the Argentine tapped in for his 700th league career goal.
The two then had missed chances to forget as Messi skied his shot from inches out before Mbappe missed a one-on-one with the keeper.
The duo would make amends in the 55th minute when Messi expertly chipped a pass over the defence to find Mbappe who scored his second goal to end the home side’s charge.
Gianluigi Donnarumma then saved Nuno Tavares’ header in the 67th to snuff out any hope of a Marseille comeback as PSG secured a first clean sheet in six Ligue 1 games.
PSG now leads the Ligue 1 table with 60 points from 25 while Marseille remains second with 52 points.
Christophe Galtier’s side has Nantes to deal with next week before facing Bayern Munich in the all-important Champions League fixture.
