Paris St Germain underlined their status as European champions by beating Barcelona 4-2 in a blockbuster Champions League clash on Tuesday, while Liverpool and Manchester City also claimed victories.
Desire Doue, Lucas Hernandez, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz scored for PSG, with Xavi Espart and Lamine Yamal twice pulling Barcelona level in the second half.
Alexis Mac Allister scored twice as Liverpool fought back from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 in a thrilling encounter at Anfield.
Phil Foden scored a hat trick to lead Manchester City to a 5-1 win over AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium, with Elliot Anderson and Rayan Cherki also on the scoresheet as Erling Haaland was rested.
Barcelona arrived at the Parc des Princes with a perfect
record across all competitions this season, but PSG proved more
clinical in a breathless contest to hand the Catalans their
first defeat of the campaign.
The relentless tempo took its toll, with PSG’s Ousmane
Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos, along with
Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, all forced off through injury.
PSG peppered the Barcelona goal in the opening five minutes,
with Kvaratskhelia hitting the post, before the game settled
into a rhythm.
The hosts gradually took control of midfield and went ahead
after Yamal surrendered possession in his own half, allowing
Doue to drive a fierce low shot into the corner.
Goalkeeper Joan Garcia produced several saves to keep
Barcelona in the contest before Espart, making his first
Champions League start, created and finished a superb move to
equalise in the 55th minute.
Ferran Torres hit the post against his former club before
Hernandez headed PSG in front from a corner in the 72nd minute,
starting a burst of four goals in 14 minutes.
Lamine equalised again for Barcelona with a brilliant
individual effort in the 79th minute, before Vitinha responded
for PSG with a fine strike 109 seconds later.
As Hansi Flick’s side searched for an equaliser, Fabian Ruiz
converted an Achraf Hakimi cross at the back post to seal the
victory.
The result lifted PSG onto nine points and top of the
Champions League standings, ahead of Liverpool on goal
difference.
Foden netted a hat-trick as Man City comfortably
dispatched AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium.
Anderson opened the scoring for the hosts in the 12th minute
before Foden doubled the advantage in the 34th.
AEK Athens pulled a goal back through Stavros Pilios in the
52nd minute, but Cherki restored City’s two-goal cushion five
minutes later.
Foden added his second of the night in the 65th minute and
completed his treble 11 minutes later to wrap up a dominant
performance.
Haaland was an unused substitute, as City gave their leading
striker a rest amid a demanding fixture schedule.
Liverpool edged Spanish side Villarreal after a stirring
comeback.
The visitors stunned the home crowd when Georges Mikautadze
struck in the fourth minute before Sergi Cardona doubled
Villarreal’s lead in the 29th.
Liverpool’s fightback started with two headers as
Mac Allister pulled a goal back in the 36th minute before Ronald
Araujo equalised in first-half stoppage time.
Mac Allister completed the turnaround with his second goal
in the 65th minute, and Florian Wirtz hammered home a fourth in
the 69th to cap a rampant spell for the hosts.
Tani Oluwaseyi pulled one back for Villarreal in the 87th
minute, but Liverpool survived the late pressure to secure the
points.
Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez levelled in the second half
to earn them a 1-1 draw with VfB Stuttgart, who took the lead
through Jamie Leweling before the break. Morten Hjulmand was
sent off in the 64th minute, leaving Atletico with 10 men for
the closing stages.
Napoli edged Bodo/Glimt 4-3 and PSV Eindhoven held off Porto
for a 1-0 win, while AS Roma cruised to a 4-0 victory over
Slovan Bratislava.
Earlier, Borussia Dortmund won 2-1 against Champions League
debutants Sabah, while a 90th-minute equaliser from Pavel Kacor
earned Slavia Prague a point in a 2-2 draw at Fenerbahce.
Source: Khaleej Times