Paris Saint-Germain’s Japan tour got off to a slow start on Tuesday, as they played out a 0-0 draw with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in Osaka. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar were all absent from the match, with Messi having moved to Inter Miami and Neymar out with a knee injury since February. Mbappe was shockingly left out of the squad on the day of PSG’s departure for Asia, leaving his future with the club uncertain.
Ronaldo won the hearts of the Japanese fans before the match and then helped Al-Nassr to a respectable 0-0 draw against PSG. He spoke a bit of the language and played with local kids, even managing to create two assists. The French champions provided a tougher challenge, but it was still an enjoyable experience for all involved.
The first to make an impact was Al-Nassr’s 23-year-old goalkeeper, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, who made a great save on a free-kick from Carlos Soler in the opening moments. Al-Nassr had recently suffered heavy defeats to Benfica and Celta Vigo in a Portuguese training camp, so the save was especially important.
PSG had the better of the opening exchanges, but Al-Nassr still managed to make their way into the French half, even if the final ball was lacking. Teenage forward Noha Lemina had a chance to score midway through the first half but shot wide with just the goalkeeper to beat.
Ronaldo then had a few attempts at goal, including a shot on the turn, a clever flick in the box, and a bicycle kick that didn’t quite come off. At the break, the score was still 0-0.
The second half saw a lot of substitutions, which slowed the tempo down and seemed to suit the French team better. Both teams pushed forward, with Al-Nassr’s new fullback Alex Telles coming off the bench, but they were unable to get a goal. Despite this, coach Luis Castro still had plenty of positives to take away from the match.