PSG’s Desire Doue celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Champions League opening phase match between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in Manchester, England
| Photo Credit: AP
Twice-defending champions Paris Saint-Germain beat Manchester City 4-2 in a pulsating Champions League encounter on Wednesday, their devastating first-half display proving decisive against a City side playing under a cloud of scrutiny.
On a breathless night featuring 46 goals, Bradley Barcola scored a hat-trick in Liverpool’s 6-3 thrashing of LASK, Aston Villa recorded the biggest European victory in their history with a 6-0 thrashing of Fenerbahce and Real Madrid staged a stunning late comeback to beat AS Roma 4-3.
But no fixture carried more intrigue than the Etihad clash, where City played their first home game since being found guilty of 114 breaches of financial rules.
City, who have denied all wrongdoing and appealed the verdict, were carved open by PSG in the first half.
PSG’S first-half blitz
Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele scored less than two minutes apart before Warren Zaire-Emery’s clever touch released Vitinha to drive the third beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 32nd minute.
City emerged transformed after the break and Erling Haaland headed in Iliman Ndiaye’s cross in the 53rd minute to become the fastest player to reach 60 Champions League goals, hitting the landmark in 60 games compared with Lionel Messi’s previous record of 80.
City’s joy was short-lived as Maghnes Akliouche’s stunning long-range strike found the net despite Donnarumma getting a hand to it.
Haaland had the City fans on their feet when he swept home Ayyoub Bouaddi’s pass in the 75th minute for his second, before Donnarumma made up for his blunder by saving a penalty from Ferran Torres.
The match unfolded against an “us against the world” backdrop, with City fans in the South Stand holding up cards that read “CTID” (City Till I Die).
Former City manager Pep Guardiola watched from the stands alongside chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak and senior executives Ferran Soriano and Hugo Viana.
Villa hits Fenerbahce for six
At Villa Park, Nicolas Jackson and Ross Barkley both scored twice in a dominant display by the hosts. Johan Manzambi opened the scoring in the 12th minute before Jackson struck in the 31st and 39th minutes to give Villa a commanding halftime lead.
Barkley added a fourth from the penalty spot in the 68th minute before grabbing his second four minutes later, while Tammy Abraham completed the rout with a stoppage-time strike.
At the Stadio Olimpico, Real Madrid scored three times in the closing stages to overturn a two-goal deficit.
Marten de Roon gave Roma the lead in the 20th minute before Kylian Mbappe equalised five minutes later, but Donyell Malen struck twice in the 51st and 57th minutes to put the hosts in control.
However, the visitors mounted a remarkable comeback as Carlos Espi pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute before Endrick levelled three minutes later.
Former Roma defender Antonio Ruediger then completed the turnaround in the 90th minute, holding off his marker to steer home Arda Guler’s inswinging corner from close range and snatch victory for the Spanish side.
Published – October 15, 2026 05:00 am IST
