By Staff Reporter
Paris St Germain battled back from a goal down to grab a 2-1 win over Barcelona in a gripping Champions League encounter, with the defending champions overcoming a raft of injuries to secure a valuable victory away from home.
Barcelona started well on Wednesday, and their pressure paid off in the 19th minute when Marcus Rashford delivered a precise pass across the box to Ferran Torres, who slid in to beat the offside trap and slot past PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.
PSG, however, responded tenaciously, despite missing captain Marquinhos and their starting attacking trio of Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue.
They took control of proceedings and equalised in the 38th minute when Nuno Mendes embarked on a dazzling run down the left, beating three defenders before setting up 19-year-old Senny Mayulu, who finished clinically into the bottom corner.
After substitute Lee Kang-in hit the post with a shot from the edge of the box in the 83rd minute, PSG finally scored a deserved winner from a quick counter in the 90th, with Achraf Hakimi crossing for substitute Goncalo Ramos to fire home from close range.
“Very disappointing feeling at the end, when you concede in the last minute of the game, to lose at home, you have to be disappointed,” Barcelona captain Freddie de Jong told Movistar+.
“They [PSG] were better in the final stages, in the second half in general. We began the game better. So it went back and forward, but it’s true, they were better in the second half.”
Man City and Juventus held but Arsenal and Newcastle win
Manchester City had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Monaco after Eric Dier scored a 90th-minute penalty for the hosts.
Villarreal and Juventus also ended 2-2 after Renato Veiga’s late equaliser.
Arsenal beat Olympiakos 2-0, with Gabriel Martinelli netting after 12 minutes and Bukayo Sako sealing the win in injury time.
