10-man PSG extends lead of Ligue 1 to 3 points

Paris: Ten-man Paris Saint-Germain extended its lead of the French league to three points and stayed undefeated after drawing with Reims 0-0.

The defending champion was short-handed from the 41st minute after Sergio Ramos was sent off for dissent.

I will talk with the players because a lot of games are coming up and we need the maximum number of players, PSG coach Christophe Galtier said.

Missing games because of stupid suspensions and stupid bookings, we must fix that.

PSG looked disjointed and pedestrian after making five changes to the side that drew with Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday. Neymar, Vitinha and Achraf Hakimi were reserves while Lionel Messi was rested after a calf knock against Benfica.

Reims created problems by pressing high up the pitch and had the better chances in the first half. Zimbabwe midfielder Marshall Munetsi forced goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into a diving save with a shot on the turn in the 35th.

Kosovo winger Arber Zeneli was a thorn in the side of PSG. He made a cross for Alexis Flips, whose sliding effort was blocked by Danilo in the ninth minute. Zeneli nutmegged Fabian Ruiz to fire an angled strike that Donnarumma parried in the 52nd.

Despite a mediocre performance, PSG nearly won. Kylian Mbappe curled a shot that goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf saved by making himself big in the 33rd. Mbappe and Neymar lost their nerve in stoppage time when they were booked for fouls.

Meanwhile, Dimitri Payet's milestone goal couldn't stop Marseille losing its unbeaten record in the league to lowly Ajaccio by 2-1.

The French playmaker notched his 100th league goal with the opener from the penalty spot in the 15th after Ajaccio defender Cedric Avinel handled the ball.