It was as if he’d never been away. In his first Starligue match since 2020, Rodrigo Corrales turned in a spectacular performance to lead his team to a vital victory. With eleven saves to his name, our Spanish goalkeeper set the tone for the start of the season and already seems to be forming a complementary partnership with Mikkel Lovkvist, whose introduction ten minutes before the final buzzer proved one of Stefan Madsen’s winning decisions, as he rose to the occasion by saving four of the seven shots he faced.
Rodrigo Corrales wasn’t the only new signing to make his league debut (or his return, in this case, for the Parisian goalkeeper); Frederik Ladefoged was also getting his first taste of the top flight during this trip to Le Phare. Having arrived straight from Dinamo Bucharest, though having spent time in the Bundesliga with Bergischer between 2022 and 2024, our pivot remained unfazed by the electric atmosphere created by the home crowd. Imperious in defence with several blocks and flawless marking of former Titi Gautier Loredon, the Dane also proved clinical in front of goal, scoring four times from six attempts. This performance bodes well for the rest of the early season, which promises to be packed with big fixtures.
In his post-match comments, the Rouge et Bleu coach reflected on his team’s performance, praising their victory at Le Phare because “it’s not easy to play here; the atmosphere is extraordinary”. With the match neck and neck for most of the first half, the capital club eventually pulled clear, scoring five unanswered goals just before the break (30': 13-16). In the second half, although the Parisians had come out with determination and conviction, Asier Antonio’s tactical changes – switching to a seven-on-six formation with two pivots – caught our Rouge et Bleu off guard, allowing the home side to completely make up the deficit (47': 23–23).
Whilst Madsen admitted after the match that his players had “missed a few chances”, he put the result into perspective: “The most important thing is that we stayed calm and stuck together. We showed what sort of team we are.” One thing is certain: the new signings made a strong impression. Whilst Bjarki Elisson did not feature, Frederik Ladefoged and Rodrigo Corrales both made their mark, and in the best possible way: “There were some new faces in the team, which was great,” the Danish coach told PSGTV following this opening victory.
Relive Paris Saint-Germain’s fine victory away to the Savoyard club (29–32). (L. Valroff/PSG)
Friday 4 September 2026
Chambéry 29–32 Paris
Limoges 36–31 Saint-Raphaël
Montpellier 41–22 Chartres
Cesson Rennes 32–34 Nîmes
Saturday 5 September 2026
Aix 34–32 Sélestat
Tremblay 28–38 Nantes
Saran 27–25 Toulouse
Sunday 6 September 2026
Caen 26–24 Dunkerque
