World Cup hero Ferran Torres made an instant impact on his Paris Saint-Germain debut, stepping off the bench to score two late goals and salvage a 2-2 draw against Rennes in their Ligue 1 opener. Trailing 2-0 away from home after a frantic start in Brittany, the French champions looked set for an opening-day defeat. Then came Torres. Replacing Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, the 26-year-old struck in the 71st and 82nd minutes to spare the titleholders’ blushes and secure a hard-fought point.
The former Manchester City forward completed his reported £42.7 million transfer from Barcelona on 15 August, putting pen to paper on a five-year contract in the French capital. The move reunites Torres with manager Luis Enrique, who originally handed him his senior international debut for Spain back in 2020. Having recently scored the decisive winning goal for Spain in their World Cup final victory over Argentina—a strike he famously declared was “scored by 47 million people”—Torres arrived in France with immense expectations. Barcelona was facing a mandatory payout fee to Manchester City had his contract extended past its final year, paving the way for PSG to bolster their attack.
Since taking charge in 2023, Luis Enrique has established an unprecedented era of dominance at PSG. He’s guided the club to back-to-back Champions League crowns alongside three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. The capital side has already retained the Super Cup, mimicking Real Madrid’s 2016 and 2017 feats, as they pursue a potential six-trophy sweep this season. When Rennes—who finished sixth last term—threatened to disrupt those ambitions, Luis Enrique turned to the formidable quality sitting on his bench. Torres delivered immediately, helping his new side avoid a second consecutive loss to open the new campaign.
The match itself took place under unusual circumstances following a short-notice schedule reversal. Originally slated to be held at the Parc des Princes, the fixture was relocated to Brittany after extreme summer heatwaves severely damaged the pitch in Paris. Club officials determined that the current conditions did not allow the match to be held safely, prompting a mutual agreement with Rennes to switch the hosting order. PSG expect to host the return fixture in Paris this coming March, with plans already in motion to replace the damaged turf ahead of their home clash against Monaco on 4 September.
