In a match that had everything—early drama, resilient comebacks, and a gut-punch finish—Paris Saint-Germain pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night. The game, played at Barcelona's temporary Montjuïc Olympic Stadium, saw the reigning European champions claw their way back from an opening deficit to claim three vital points in the league phase.
Barcelona struck first, just five minutes in, when Lamine Yamal capitalized on a PSG defensive lapse to put the hosts ahead. The Camp Nou crowd—well, the stand-in one—roared as Hansi Flick's side dominated possession early on, hovering around 60 percent in the first half. But PSG, under Luis Enrique's tactical nous, weathered the storm. Injuries had already sidelined key figures like Ousmane Dembélé for Barcelona and a few Parisians too, yet the visitors equalized midway through the second half via a Nuno Mendes thunderbolt from outside the box. That goal shifted the momentum, and PSG began pressing higher, forcing errors.
However, the real twist came in stoppage time. With the clock ticking past 90 minutes, Gonçalo Ramos pounced on a loose ball in the box, slotting it past Wojciech Szczęsny to seal the win. It was Ramos's second goal of the campaign, and what a time to deliver. Senny Mayulu, the young PSG forward brought on late, nearly added a fourth with a curling effort that kissed the post—talk about adding insult to injury for Barça fans.
Stats tell a story of Barcelona's wastefulness: 18 shots to PSG's 12, but only five on target compared to the visitors' seven. Possession ended 58-42 in Barca's favor, yet they couldn't convert. This result catapults PSG to the top of their mini-group in the new-format standings, with six points from two games, while Barcelona slips to third in the overall table, now on three points after a solid win over Young Boys last week.
Indeed, for a side tipped as favorites, Barcelona's inability to hold leads raises eyebrows. Moreover, PSG's depth, even shorthanded, proved decisive once again. As the Champions League grinds on, one wonders if this early stumble will haunt Flick's rebuild or just light a fire under his squad.