PSG 4-2 Barcelona: holders win six-goal Champions League clash in Paris

Final score: Paris Saint-Germain 4-2 Barcelona (half-time 1-0), UEFA Champions League league phase, matchday 3, at the Parc des Princes in Paris. Kick-off was at 7pm GMT (9pm in Paris) and referee Michael Oliver took charge, according to FC Barcelona.

Goals (times from FC Barcelona’s official match centre):

• 38’ Désiré Doué (PSG), 1-0
• 55’ Xavi Espart (Barcelona), 1-1
• 72’ Lucas Hernández (PSG), 2-1
• 79’ Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), 2-2
• 81’ Vitinha (PSG), 3-2
• 86’ Fabián Ruiz (PSG), 4-2

Key moments: ESPN reported that Doué’s opener came after Lamine Yamal lost the ball in the Barcelona half, and the BBC said he struck it from about 25 yards. Before half-time, ESPN reported that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia hit the post and that Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia made eight first-half saves. PSG lost Ousmane Dembélé to injury after about 20 minutes, and the BBC reported that Kvaratskhelia was also injured and helped off by medical staff shortly after Barcelona’s equaliser. Barcelona’s Dani Olmo also went off injured in the first half, ESPN reported. The BBC said PSG’s fourth goal came when Achraf Hakimi crossed and Fabián Ruiz, free at the back post, scored into an empty net. Barcelona’s João Cancelo was shown a yellow card. There were no red cards.

What it means: both clubs had won their first two league-phase games and sat first and second in the table on six points, according to ApexScores. PSG, the holders, now have three wins from three. Barcelona had been looking to make it 12 wins from 12 games this season, the club said before the match, so this is their first defeat of the season.

Before the game

Paris Saint-Germain play Barcelona in the third round of the Champions League league phase at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday 20 October at 9pm Paris time, which is 6am on Wednesday 21 October in Sydney, according to both clubs.

What’s at stake: both teams have won their first two league-phase games. After matchday 2, PSG led the 36-team table on six points with a goal difference of +7 and Barcelona were second, also on six points and +7, according to ApexScores. In their last Champions League game PSG, the holders, won 4-2 at Manchester City, UEFA reported. Barcelona’s website said the club were looking to make it 12 wins from 12 games this season, and that a win would be Hansi Flick’s 100th as Barcelona coach.

Team news: Barcelona said defenders Jules Koundé and Eric Garcia were injured in Saturday’s win at Real Betis and were left out of the squad. Flick said Frenkie de Jong and Rodri could cover in defence, alongside first call-up Àlex Campos, and that Raphinha “could start”. AP reported that PSG left-back Nuno Mendes faces several weeks out with a thigh injury.

What the coaches said: PSG coach Luis Enrique, a former Barcelona player and coach, said: “Our aim is to win tomorrow.” He added: “It’s a huge source of motivation for me to face the club that has mattered the most to me in my career.” Flick called Luis Enrique “one of the best in the world” and said: “We’re ready.”

See also: the Champions League matchday 3 round-up, Betis 2-5 Barcelona, Strasbourg 1-3 PSG and the full matchday 3 schedule.