Paris Saint-Germain dealt Barcelona a damaging blow in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, scoring twice in the closing stages to secure a 4-2 victory at the Parc des Princes and extend their winning run to seven matches.
Vitinha broke the 2-2 deadlock in the 81st minute with a superb strike from outside the penalty area before Fabian Ruiz added a fourth goal to hand the defending champions their third consecutive victory in this season’s competition.
The defeat ended Barcelona’s 11-match winning streak and exposed costly defensive errors against a PSG side determined to defend its European crown.
Desire Doue opened the scoring for the hosts in the 38th minute after Lamine Yamal surrendered possession in his own half. The French forward collected the ball, beat his marker with quick footwork and fired into the bottom corner.
Barcelona responded shortly after half-time when teenager Xavi Espart finished a move created by Fermin Lopez, scoring his second senior goal to level the contest.
PSG regained the lead through Lucas Hernandez, who headed home from a corner. The defender had been drafted into the starting line-up to contain Yamal in the absence of regular left-back Nuno Mendes.
Barcelona struck back again when Yamal capitalised on a mistake by Warren Zaire-Emery to make it 2-2. The goal took the teenager’s tally for the season to 10, but his equaliser proved insufficient to rescue a point.
Vitinha settled the contest nine minutes from time, controlling the ball on his chest before firing home from just outside the box. Ruiz then finished from close range to complete PSG’s victory.
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Flick admits costly errors
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick acknowledged that mistakes undermined his side despite an entertaining performance.
“I think it was a fantastic game from both teams but we made too many mistakes,” he said.
Flick added that the October result would not determine the eventual Champions League winners, insisting that his players could learn from the defeat.
Barcelona now turn their attention to Sunday’s El Clasico against Real Madrid. A victory would put them nine points clear of their rivals in La Liga, according to the match report.
PSG face injury concerns
PSG’s victory came at a cost as Ousmane Dembele was forced off after 20 minutes with a suspected hamstring injury. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also suffered an injury, although the extent of both players’ problems was not immediately clear.
Doue, whose opening goal set the hosts on course for victory, emerged as one of PSG’s outstanding performers.
“It is just the start of the season and there will be a lot more big matches but the hunger is there and we will keep our focus,” he told Canal Plus.
The result marked PSG’s third victory in as many Champions League matches this season and strengthened their early push to retain the title for a third consecutive campaign.
Barcelona, meanwhile, must address the defensive lapses that allowed the French champions to regain the lead twice before settling the contest.
Tuesday’s meeting was the clubs’ 14th Champions League encounter in 13 years. PSG won the latest instalment through clinical finishing, while Barcelona left Paris with their impressive winning streak broken and a crucial domestic test approaching.
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