Holders Paris Saint-Germain made it three wins from three in this season’s Champions League, beating Barcelona 4-2 thanks to late goals from Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz on Tuesday, while Liverpool clinched a dramatic comeback victory over Villarreal. Phil Foden scored a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed AEK Athens 5-1, while there were also much-needed wins for Roma and Napoli.
PSG kept their place at the top of the early league-phase table, but could yet count the cost of injuries suffered by Ousmane Dembele, Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at the Parc des Princes. Barcelona twice levelled against the two-time defending champions, but were ultimately well beaten as they slipped to their first defeat of the season. Hansi Flick’s men had won their previous 11 games in all competitions this term.
Kvaratskhelia hit the post, Dembele hobbled off and Ferran Torres was denied by Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia in a fast-paced opening. PSG took a deserved lead in the 38th minute as Desire Doue collected the ball outside the area and thumped a shot into the bottom corner. Garcia made another excellent save shortly after the break from Achraf Hakimi, before Xavi Espart burst through to level for Barca against the run of play.
Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos both pulled up injured within seconds of each other and had to leave the field. The home team continued to press, though, and Lucas Hernandez restored their advantage 18 minutes from time with a brilliant header, shortly after former Barcelona forward Torres hit the post. Lamine Yamal powered past Warren Zaire-Emery to equalise again seven minutes later.
But Vitinha hammered home from outside the box in the 81st minute and Ruiz’s tap-in gave Luis Enrique’s team a second straight 4-2 Champions League win after seeing off Man City by the same scoreline last week. –