Paris Saint-Germain delivered a statement performance on Tuesday night, defeating Barcelona 4-2 in a pulsating Champions League league phase encounter at the Parc des Princes.
The match began at a frenetic pace, and both sides were forced into early changes.
PSG lost Ousmane Dembélé to a hamstring problem midway through the first half, while Barcelona’s Dani Olmo also limped off with an injury. It was PSG who struck first in the 38th minute, as Désiré Doué pounced on a loose ball after a mistake by Lamine Yamal and unleashed a fine strike from distance to send the hosts into the break 1-0 up.
The second half was a different story entirely. Barcelona twice fought back through their young stars, Xavi Espart and Lamine Yamal, but each time PSG had an answer.
Lucas Hernández restored the lead with a powerful header, before Vitinha produced a moment of magic with a spectacular long-range strike. Fabián Ruiz then sealed the win in the 86th minute, tapping in at the far post to make it 4-2.
Both squads were severely depleted. PSG were without Nuno Mendes, ruled out before kickoff with a thigh injury, while Barcelona’s defense was missing Éric García and Jules Koundé, with Andreas Christensen also a long-term absentee.
Speaking after the match, the PSG manager praised his side’s resilience: “We showed character tonight. To score four goals against a team like Barcelona, with the injuries we had, says a lot about this group.”
The victory strengthens PSG’s position at the top of the league-phase table and avenges their previous meetings with the Catalan giants.
For Barcelona, it is a night to forget, and a defensive headache to solve before their next European outing.
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