Desire Doue, Lamine Yamal and Vitinha scored superb individual goals as Champions League holders Paris St-Germain overcame Barcelona in a breathless encounter at Parc des Princes.
After starring in PSG’s victory against Manchester City last week, Doue opened the scoring in the 38th minute of a first half in which both sides missed several clear chances.
Teenage full-back Xavi Espart drew Barcelona level early in the second half with a rifled near-post effort, before PSG defender Lucas Hernandez powered in a towering header.
Lamine Yamal made it 2-2 with a genius near-post finish, but less than two minutes later Vitinha sent a volley into the bottom corner to reclaim the lead for PSG.
Fabian Ruiz put the result beyond doubt five minutes later by converting Achraf Hakimi’s low cross at the back post, in a win that ends Barcelona’s 11-match unbeaten run at the start of their season.
The Parisians had wasted little time in implementing their high-pressing gameplan to force Barcelona into several mistakes in the early stages.
The game was 79 seconds old when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia struck the foot of the post after Pedri was dispossessed, before Doue and Ousmane Dembele were denied by Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia following high turnovers.
It was then Barcelona’s turn to launch their own rapid attacks, but Raphinha could only fire straight at Matvey Safonov in the PSG goal after running on to a neat Anthony Gordon pass.
Garcia had a busy end to the half as he twice denied former Barcelona team-mate Ferran Torres – who replaced the injured Dembele – but the goalkeeper could do nothing about Doue’s opener.
After PSG intercepted a Barca ball out from defence, Doue drove to the edge of the penalty area and rifled a low shot into the bottom left corner.
Minutes before half-time Fermin Lopez was thwarted in a one-on-one situation by Safonov, but 10 minutes into the second half Espart, 19, beat the Russian goalkeeper at his near post after bursting into the box.
Barcelona were starting to look the more likely side to claim a winner, but, moments after Torres hit the post following a quick counter, Hernandez planted a header past Garcia from a corner.
Out of nothing, Lamine Yamal then turned Warren Zaire-Emery, sprinted into the box and squeezed the ball in between Safonov and the post.
Just as the momentum looked to have swung in Barca’s favour, Vitinha controlled a clearance with his chest before launching a stunning volley into the bottom corner, before Ruiz put the seal on an exhilarating match.
PSG have nine points and will next face Villarreal in Spain on Tuesday, 3 November (20:00 GMT).
Barcelona remain on six points and will host Aston Villa at Camp Nou at the same time.
BBC
