Neymar scored the opener and Timothy Weah netted his first league goal, as Paris St-Germain started their Ligue 1 campaign with a 3-0 victory over Caen.
Brazil striker Neymar, who had a disappointing World Cup, took just 10 minutes to get off the mark, after a mistake by Caen keeper Brice Samba.
Angel di Maria squared for Adrien Rabiot to made it 2-0 on 35 minutes. Weah, 18, the son of ex-PSG and AC Milan forward and Liberia president George – struck in the final minute. The US international, who came on as a late substitute, had scored his first senior goal for the club in the French Super Cup last week.
PSG were without their World Cup winners – including Kylian Mbappe – for German manager Thomas Tuchel’s first league game in charge of the defending champions.
Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon, making his debut for the club at 40 after his move from Juventus, showed lightning reflexes to prevent Thiago Silva scoring a spectacular own-goal just before half-time but was otherwise a virtual spectator.
The stunning performances of Kylian Mbappe at the World Cup and consistent speculation linking Neymar with a move away from the club have left the Brazilian’s status as PSG’s star man somewhat in danger.
“It’s totally clear that he’s my best player,” said Tuchel, who took over at the Parc des Princes from Unai Emery in May.
“He’s one of the best players in the world. He’s an artist, a creative player, and for players like that, it’s easier if you don’t put too much pressure on them. That’s important.
“There are many ways to be a leader. For ‘Ney’, in my opinion, he’s our leader when he’s happy, happy in his game, in his creativity, and being an inspiration for others by taking risks.”
Neymar, the most expensive player of all-time, will be hoping to remind the PSG fans of his quality after missing the final three months of last season with injury before being ridiculed for regular playacting at the World Cup.
In contrast, teeange sensation Mbappe shone in Russia, scoring four goals, including in France’s final victory over Croatia.
But Neymar did score 19 league goals in 20 games last term before his foot injury, and made 13 assists.
German Tuchel was keen to play down concerns that the 26-year-old doesn’t work hard enough for the team.
“There are other people in the team who are responsible for defence, the structure of the team, but that’s not his job,” said the former Borussia Dortmund boss.
“There is not one single leader who has to manage everything on his shoulders, but Neymar is of course one of them (leaders), that’s obvious.”