PSG prove they mean business in France

Having secured their third consecutive Ligue 1 win on Saturday, their fifth in six games in all competitions, third-placed Paris Saint-Germain FC showed they are serious contenders for a UEFA Champions League berth.

Nantes result
Despite the absence of top scorer Guillaume Hoarau, Paul Le Guen's side were two goals to the good within 20 minutes at FC Nantes courtesy of Ludovic Giuly and Péguy Luyindula, and although Djamel Abdoun responded with a penalty for the hosts, Giuly completed his first double for the club before another summer signing, Stéphane Sessegnon, rounded off the scoring from outside the area. That ensured a second week in third spot for the Parisian outfit, something they have not been able to boast since October 2005, and now catching Olympique Lyonnais may not be beyond them, with the leaders and defending titleholders four points ahead of PSG with 15 matches remaining.

Tremendous pressure
As the capital's only top-flight side, PSG are under tremendous pressure, but there looks to be something different about them this year. The win at Nantes came at the end of a week that yielded a change of president, with Sébastien Bazin replacing Charles Villeneuve, a 3-0 home French League Cup loss to FC Girondins de Bordeaux and the club's decision to suspend Mateja Kežman for responding angrily to being substituted in that match. Nantes goalkeeper Jérôme Alonzo, who left PSG in the summer, was impressed. "To maintain their standard of play and give us such a footballing lesson after so many off-field woes is amazing," he said. "It wouldn't have been so easy in past seasons. Congratulations to them."

Le Guen pride
"It was one of the best games we've played this season," commented Alonzo's PSG counterpart Mickaël Landreau, who started his career at Nantes and moved to the Parc des Princes two years ago. "At a time when we're having some minor problems off the pitch, we were able to respond on the pitch." The UEFA Cup contenders, who will host VfL Wolfsburg in the first leg of their Round of 32 tie on 18 February, also pleased their coach. "I'm proud of all my players, especially after the midweek setback," said Le Guen. "Now we expect another good result at home against St-Etienne next weekend, with the help of the fans." After flirting with relegation over the last two seasons, it seems the only French side other than Olympique de Marseille to have won a European club competition are coming back to their best.