Paris Saint-Germain were made to work hard for a point on the road as Rennes battled the European champions to a 2-2 draw at Roazhon Park, a result that underlined the Breton club's ambitions to be the strongest challenger to PSG's dominance in Ligue 1 this season.
The match, relocated from the Parc des Princes due to the poor state of the pitch there, suited Rennes perfectly as they took the game to PSG from the outset. Franck Haise's side pressed relentlessly and looked dangerous in transition for much of the first half, catching Luis Enrique's team off guard.
Sebastien Szymanski gave the hosts a deserved lead with a deflected effort from outside the penalty area that curled in off the post. PSG struggled to find an equalizer despite enjoying more possession, with former Rennes players Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé squandering good opportunities. Dembélé, in particular, blazed a first-time effort over the bar when well placed inside the box.
Rennes doubled their advantage through Esteban Lepaul, last season's Ligue 1 top scorer, who continued his fine form by beating goalkeeper Matvey Safonov with a first-time finish near the post.
Facing a two-goal deficit, Luis Enrique made bold changes at halftime, withdrawing two of his most gifted attackers, Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, in favor of new signings Ferran Torres and Mika Godts, whose combined transfer fees approach €100 million. The substitutions paid immediate dividends as Torres inspired a comeback for the visitors.
Midfielder Fabián Ruiz, introduced alongside fellow new arrival Maghnes Akliouche—who made his Ligue 1 debut for PSG—played a pivotal role in the equalizing goals, setting up both of Torres' strikes. The first came from a perfectly timed run in behind the Rennes defense, while the second was a close-range header. PSG required a last-gasp goalline clearance from Willian Pacho to preserve the draw in the closing stages.
After the match, Luis Enrique defended his decision to make such significant changes to his starting lineup.