Paris Saint-Germain’s stuttering start in this season’s Champions League continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday, leading coach Luis Enrique to admit he was “worried” about his team’s prospects. The Dutch champions led through a Noa Lang strike just after the half-hour mark at the Parc des Princes, but Achraf Hakimi equalised early in the second half. Nevertheless, this was a game PSG should have won given the chances they created, but once again they struggled to put the ball in the net, a recurring problem in Europe.

“It is difficult to accept the result after a game like that but we already knew that football is often unfair,” Luis Enrique said. “We played well throughout and were better than PSV.”

PSG’s frustration was summed up when they were awarded a penalty in injury time after a challenge on Marco Asensio, only for the decision to be overturned on review. 

The French giants had 26 attempts on goal to their opponents’ eight. They have now scored just twice in their last five matches in the Champions League, with the other an own-goal against Girona last month.

That run goes back to last season’s semi-final against Borussia Dortmund which they lost 2-0 on aggregate.

“I think it is obvious that we created a lot more chances than our opponents and we deserved to win the game,” Luis Enrique added.

After a narrow 1-0 victory against Girona and a 2-0 defeat away to Arsenal in their first two matches in the new-look format of the competition, PSG have just four points from a possible nine.

There are still five games to play but they have Atletico Madrid at home next followed by Bayern Munich away, suggesting things will not get any easier.

“It is the worst group (fixtures) and we need to be prepared to improve what we can and keep going. But yes, it is difficult and of course I am worried,” the coach added.

PSV, meanwhile, are still winless having previously lost away to Juventus before drawing with Sporting.

That shows how big a step up playing in Europe is for the Dutch side, who have a perfect record after nine games in this season’s Eredivisie.

“The players did a great job tonight and I am really proud of them to be leaving here with a point,” said PSV coach Peter Bosz.

Rested in Ligue 1 last weekend and controversially dropped against Arsenal, Ousmane Dembele was back in the starting line-up for PSG.

Dembele misses

The France winger has never been a deadly finisher and was guilty of missing a couple of big chances in the first half.

Lee Kang-in, preferred to Randal Kolo Muani in PSG’s attack, was first to force a save from visiting goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

Dembele then should have scored in the 19th minute when he arrived unmarked at the back post to meet an inviting cross from the left, but his effort on the half-volley clipped the bar.

That was followed by another miss on the half-hour mark as Dembele was played in by a clever Joao Neves pass off the chest, but he blazed over the bar.

Having offered little going forward, PSV went ahead on 34 minutes.

An Olivier Boscagli interception left the home team exposed, and Ismael Saibari supplied Lang who blasted in a low shot from the edge of the area.

PSG were now in danger of a seventh defeat in 15 games in the Champions League since the start of last season, but they found an equaliser on 55 minutes.

Hakimi tried a speculative shot from 25 metres which was simply too powerful for Benitez as the ball passed through the goalkeeper’s legs.

The same player came close to putting PSG ahead before drama ensued in injury time.

Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg pointed to the spot in the 93rd minute when Boscagli lunged into a tackle on Marco Asensio, but the defender played the ball and the penalty was cancelled after a VAR check.

Benitez then saved PSV with a brilliant save from a Marquinhos header, and the final whistle was met with boos by the home fans.

The Qatar-owned club’s prospects of finally landing a first ever Champions League title this season currently seem remote.

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said his side had achieved “perfection” after thrashing Montpellier 6-0 on Friday to continue their strong start to life without Kylian Mbappe. Bradley Barcola scored twice while Marco Asensio, Achraf Hakimi, Warren Zaire-Emery and Lee Kang-in were also on target at the Parc des Princes for PSG. The reigning Ligue 1 champions have now found the net 10 times in total while winning their opening two games of the season, suggesting the future is bright without departed star Mbappe.

“It was a perfect night,” Luis Enrique said.

“We had 16 stars tonight, all the players who took part. Sixteen stars in attack and in defence, that is perfection, and that is what we are looking for.”

PSG’s young team, featuring two teenagers in the starting line-up and a total of eight players aged between 18 and 25, played with verve and style, albeit against limited opposition.

There was a first start for 19-year-old Portugal midfielder Joao Neves, a close-season recruit from Benfica for a fee that could eventually reach 69.9 million euros ($78.2m).

Meanwhile Desire Doue, also 19 and a member of the France team that recently won Olympic silver, came on as a second-half substitute for his debut after joining from Rennes for an initial 50 million euros.

“I think in two games you can already see the profile of the players we have brought in,” added PSG’s Spanish coach.

“They are totally suited to our way of playing and I think they will all bring us a lot.”

He continued: “I am enjoying every training session with a very complete and versatile squad and players who are really eager to make history.”

PSG scored three late goals to win 4-1 at Le Havre last week as they began their defence of the title, but their performance here was far more accomplished and suggests they will take some beating as they chase an 11th French title in 13 seasons.

That is despite losing their all-time top scorer in Mbappe, but their overwhelming superiority compared to the opposition in Ligue 1 cannot be forgotten.

While PSG — backed by their Qatari owners — have spent 175 million euros in the summer transfer window, not including bonuses, on four new players, Montpellier have not signed anyone.

Financial gulf

Handicapped by the collapse in income following the agreement of a new, knockdown domestic broadcast deal, Montpellier will get just seven million euros from television this season, their president Laurent Nicollin told sports daily L’Equipe on Friday.

“They were much stronger than us and dominated from beginning to end,” said Montpellier coach Michel Der Zakarian.

The financial gulf makes it practically impossible for Montpellier to compete and they fell behind inside four minutes when Barcola, coming in from the left, scored with a first-time toe-poke finish.

The second goal just past the midway point in the first half was a joy, as Barcola played a ball in from the left for Neves and his cushioned lay-off set up Asensio to fire in.

The third goal arrived eight minutes into the second half and was of similar quality, Asensio releasing Ousmane Dembele on the right before he raced away and squared for Barcola to tap in.

It was 5-0 by the hour mark, with Nuno Mendes crossing from the left to the far post where Hakimi scored with a sidefoot volley, and Zaire-Emery nutmegging Kiki Kouyate in the box before finishing.

Lee, on from the bench after being dropped from the starting line-up, smacked in the sixth from the edge of the area on 82 minutes.

It is the second time PSG have scored six goals in a Ligue 1 game since Luis Enrique became coach just over a year ago — the other was in a 6-2 win at Montpellier in March.

Saturday’s action in France sees Lyon host last season’s runners-up Monaco before Lille meet Angers and Saint-Etienne play Le Havre.

Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille, 5-1 winners at Brest on the opening weekend, are at home to Reims on Sunday.