Paris Saint-Germain handed Barcelona their first defeat of the season, beating them 4-2 in a thrilling UEFA Champions League clash sealed by the French side in the closing minutes.
The Parc des Princes hosted the match on Tuesday evening as part of the third matchday of the league phase. Both teams entered the contest with a perfect European record, as Barcelona sought to build on their flawless start under Hansi Flick.
Désiré Doué opened the scoring for Paris in the 38th minute, capitalizing on a misplaced pass from Lamine Yamal; João Neves intercepted the ball and set up his teammate, who struck a powerful shot past Joan García.
Barcelona responded after the break with an equalizer through Xavi Espart in the 55th minute, assisted by Fermín López, bringing the match back to square one and offering the Catalan side an opportunity to regain momentum.
However, Lucas Hernández restored Paris’s lead in the 72nd minute following an assist from Doué, before Yamal leveled for Barcelona again in the 79th minute, igniting the closing stages as Barcelona fought back for a second time.
The draw did not last long, as Vitinha struck a third goal for the French side in the 81st minute, before Fabián Ruiz sealed the victory with a fourth in the 87th minute, benefiting from an Achraf Hakimi assist to ensure Paris emerged victorious.
The reigning champions raised their tally to nine points at the top of the table temporarily, having scored 14 goals across three matches, while Barcelona remained on six points in fifth place, ahead of the remaining matchday fixtures.
The defeat brought an end to Barcelona’s 11-match winning streak from the start of the season, comprising nine wins in La Liga and two in European competition, following a strong attacking start during which the side scored 48 goals prior to their trip to Paris.
The loss comes just days before hosting Real Madrid in El Clásico on Sunday, October 25, at the Camp Nou, leaving Flick needing to address the errors exposed in Paris swiftly before returning to defend his top spot in La Liga.
