Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) commenced their Ligue 1 title defense with a narrow 1-0 victory against Nantes on Sunday, August 17, 2025. The match, held at Nantes' Stade de la Beaujoire, saw Vitinha's deflected strike in the second half securing the win for the reigning champions.

Fresh off their UEFA Super Cup triumph against Tottenham Hotspur, PSG, managed by Luis Enrique, faced a resilient Nantes side that proved difficult to break down. Despite PSG's dominance in possession, particularly in the first half, clear-cut chances were scarce against Nantes' organized defense. Gonçalo Ramos came close to scoring before halftime, but his shot rattled the crossbar.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 67th minute when Vitinha's long-range shot took a significant deflection off Nantes defender Chidozie Awaziem, wrong-footing goalkeeper Anthony Lopes. The goal was a fortunate one, but it reflected PSG's persistence. Shortly after, Ramos had a goal disallowed for offside, further highlighting PSG's attacking intent.

Vitinha's performance was pivotal for PSG. Besides scoring the decisive goal, he dominated the midfield, registering the most touches (133) and passes (122) in the match. Defensively, he also contributed significantly, winning back possession 10 times, more than any other player on the pitch.

Nantes, under their new coach Luis Castro, demonstrated a strong defensive display, restricting PSG to just four shots on target. However, they struggled to create scoring opportunities themselves, failing to register a single shot on target. Nantes were without Matthis Abline, with rumors suggesting a transfer, and Mayckel Lahdo, who is suffering from a thigh injury. Several players including Nathan Zeze, Douglas Augusto and Jean-Charles Castelletto departed the club during the summer.

PSG's victory extends their impressive scoring record against Nantes in Ligue 1, having now scored in 29 consecutive league meetings since 2006. Despite the narrow win, PSG will be looking to improve their form as they aim for a fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title.

New signings were integrated into the PSG lineup, with Illia Zabarnyi making his debut and Lucas Chevalier taking over as the first-choice goalkeeper. Key players like Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi started on the bench, but their introduction later in the game added fresh impetus to PSG's attack.

The match was broadcast live on beIN SPORTS USA, beIN SPORTS en Español, and beIN SPORTS CONNECT in the United States.