Ferran Torres Rescues PSG as Champions Stumble in Rennes Season Opener
Ferran Torres came off the bench at half-time to score both goals as Paris Saint-Germain salvaged a 2-2 draw at Rennes in their Ligue 1 season opener on 23 August 2026.
The match had been moved at the last minute from PSG's home, the Parc des Princes, to Rennes' Roazhon Park because of the poor state of the Parisian pitch. So the five-time defending French champions, and reigning European champions after retaining the Champions League in May, opened their 2026-27 league campaign on the road in Brittany.
Rennes had not read the script. Sebastien Szymanski opened the scoring with a sliced effort from outside the box that clipped in off the inside of a post. Then Esteban Lepaul — last season's top scorer in Ligue 1 — doubled the lead with a first-time strike towards the near post that beat PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov.
PSG's first-half chances had fallen to Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé, two former Rennes players, but neither could find a way through. At the break, manager Luis Enrique made a decisive double substitution: off came Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, on came Torres and Mika Godts. The two signings had cost PSG nearly €100m combined; within 45 minutes, the investment looked astute.
Torres scored twice, both set up by midfielder Fabián Ruiz, to drag the visitors level. In the dying moments, defender Willian Pacho made a goalline clearance to preserve the point and deny Rennes a winner.
The draw continued an underwhelming start to the season for PSG, who had already lost 1-0 to Lens in the Trophée des Champions (the French equivalent of a community shield, pitting the league champions against the cup winners) on 16 August.
For Rennes, the performance reflected a club in rude financial health. Owned by the Pinault family, Rennes have been insulated from a financial crisis that has affected other French clubs, including Marseille and Monaco. They signed England youth international defender Charlie Cresswell — who was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Week for matchday 1 — after fending off interest from Premier League clubs. A €50m PSG signing, Maghnes Akliouche, also made his Ligue 1 debut for the Parisians in this match.
For a casual observer, the broader picture matters as much as the result. PSG remain the team to beat in France, but two dropped points in the opening round, coming on the heels of the Lens defeat, give early encouragement to the chasing pack. Torres, meanwhile, announced himself as more than a luxury signing — he may already be the most important piece of PSG's summer business.
