Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Nenê scored on his return to first team action since suffering a broken cheekbone as his side were beaten 2-1 by Rennes yesterday.
Nenê, 31, clashed with fellow Brazilian Diego during PG’S 1-0 Ligue 1 win over Stade Reims last month and needed surgery to repair two fractures to the right side of his face.
However, the winger is now back in action with a protective mask and equalised midway through the first half with a clinical finish to cancel out Romain Alessandrini’s opener.
Julien Feret scored the winner for Rennes, who had two men sent off, when he whipped in a freekick ten minutes before the break to defeat PSG for just the second time this season.
Nenê said: “This is football. We have not managed to score despite many opportunities. We have not been effective.”
The Parc des Princes side have been removed from Ligue 1’s top spot by Lyon, who won 3-0 at home to Reims.
Nenê, who has been nicknamed Zorro, was set up by playmaker Javier Pastore for his goal, with both players making a statement to Carlo Ancelotti after being dropped in recent games.
The Brazilian was last season’s top scorer with 21 league goals, but has received little explanation for being left out of the starting line-up for more than half the games this term.
