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“Hansi Flick called PSG the best team in the world. I wonder what he’ll be saying tonight? They saw what he could do at the Etihad, and Vitinha has done it again at the Parc des Princes. A fifth goal in an absolutely epic encounter between two of the best teams in Europe.”
Highlights: PSG show class to overcome Barca in six-goal epic
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Those were the words of Sam Matterface on TNT Sports as Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona served up a six-goal thriller that underlined why both sides remain among the most compelling teams in European football.
There were 40 goals across nine games on the opening night of matchday three in the UEFA Champions League, and six of them came in Paris.
With 40 attempts, the only surprise was that this ding-dong affair didn’t produce even more goals.
“Does anyone know how to defend?” asked Matt Smith on TNT Sports’ Goals Show.
This may not matter too much in six months’ time, but having two of the best teams going at it, playing attacking football and producing some brilliant individual moments is exactly what we all want to see.
“This is just the start of the battle between them this season,” Karen Carney predicted with gusto from the studio. “In a couple of months, the starting XIs will be different, but the great thing is that they’re still going to keep peaking.
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‘Favourites for the 3-peat’ – Ruiz rounds off epic PSG win over Barca
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“These are still not their best versions. They’ll both get through [to the knockout phase].”
That they could meet again is a mouthwatering prospect.
For PSG, however, this was about more than another statement victory against elite opposition.
The French champions are chasing an unprecedented third consecutive Champions League title, and performances like this will only strengthen the belief that they have the quality to make history.
If they are to complete the three-peat, they will need to navigate a long and demanding campaign, but Barcelona were given a timely reminder of the challenge facing anyone hoping to stop them.
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'What a strike!' - Vitinha delivers a long-range effort to put PSG ahead again
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At times during the second period in the French capital, you feared for the hosts, who face an important Ligue 1 game against Lyon on Sunday.
Losing Ousmane Dembele early in the opening period to a muscle injury denied this grandest of stages one of the game’s most gifted players.
And when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos both hobbled off before the hour mark, the momentum was with Barcelona.
While Luis Enrique will reflect on what this eventual 4-2 victory over their Catalan rivals cost his side, the manner in which the game exploded into life in the final 30 minutes provided an ominous warning to those hoping to dethrone the defending champions.
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‘You can’t keep an elite player down!’ – Yamal magic draws Barca level again
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“That’s a marker down,” Joe Cole told TNT Sports. “There’s no Rodri at the start [for Barcelona], they’ve mixed things up with El Clasico this weekend, but PSG pose a threat from everywhere.
"They’re the team to beat. They’re the favourites to win it again.”
As Lucy Ward pointed out on co-commentary duty, Barcelona “hadn’t quite been at the races”, but they still produced moments of the highest quality - none more so than Lamine Yamal’s stunning equaliser.
The Ballon d’Or contender has now registered a goal or an assist in every appearance he has made this season since the opening weekend.
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‘What a header’ – Hernandez powers PSG back ahead from corner
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Lucas Hernandez, whose header had put PSG back ahead after Xavi Espart had cancelled out Desire Doue’s first-half opener, had only just been replaced by Warren Zaire-Emery at left-back.
But he was no match for Yamal, who burst past him before finishing with an audacious effort into the roof of the net from an acute angle.
It was perhaps the best goal of the night, and further confirmation of his place among the favourites to be crowned the world's best player in London later this month - but 107 seconds later, Vitinha’s composed control and low finish into the bottom corner restored the home side’s lead.
Phil Kitromilides, watching from the Parc des Princes for TNT Sports, reported: “Vitinha was having a quiet game but, like the game itself, he’s exploded into life.
“He’d been overshadowed up to that point by Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves, but not anymore. It’s been a game of extremely high quality. It’s been thrilling.”
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‘What an effort’ – Espart brings Barca level after rampaging run
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There was still time for Ruiz to add further gloss to the scoreline with a close-range finish at the far post from Achraf Hakimi’s cross.
Having beaten Manchester City by the same scoreline a week earlier, PSG have now made a statement of intent with three wins from three matches.
It was always going to take something special to end Barcelona's 11-game winning streak in all competitions, and Flick was in a reflective mood afterwards.
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"I think it was a fantastic game from both teams," the German told the media. "I think we made a few too many mistakes in possession. We have to analyse the game, but I also saw a lot great things. It was a great test for us today. We've seen what things we need to do better, and that's what we'll do.
"What we've done over the last few weeks has been incredible. The attitude, the quality. We tried to play how we want to play, we pressed them very high. There were a lot of fantastic things on show today.
"The team was a little down in the last 10 minutes, and that's when we conceded the fourth. As I've said, I've seen good things. But I'm not focusing on the negatives. We'll look at what we can improve and that's what we'll do."
"We need to be calmer, we need to connect better, close the distances between ourselves. We need to be clearer in what we do at times and we need to have that conviction to score when we're in those areas. That's what we saw Paris do today."
PSG's victory over Barcelona was another demonstration of the attacking depth and resilience that could prove crucial in their pursuit of a third straight European crown.
Winning the Champions League once is an achievement in itself. Winning it three times in succession would place this PSG side in truly historic company.
The season is still young but their rivals have been warned. Enrique’s team are already looking like the side everyone must beat.
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Doue puts PSG ahead after sloppy Yamal error
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Doue told reporters: "We had to win this evening and we did that so we’re really happy. I’m progressing, continuing to help the team. The most important thing for me is to help the team, and as an attacker I want to do that by scoring goals and making assists. Sometimes I manage to do that. If not I help the team in other ways.
”We have to highlight the work of the entire team, the win wasn't just down to me. The way our defenders worked, the midfielders, the attackers, it was incredible. We all did the job today.
”We never feel like we’re powerless, or that we’re beaten in any way. We always know there’s an opportunity as long as the final whistle hasn’t gone. We’ll continue to create danger, keep our qualities and stick to our game plan. We know we can score at any time.”
Julien Laurens believes this latest triumph could carry psychological significance if the sides meet again in the latter stages of the competition.
Laurens told TNT Sports: “If they meet again this season in the competition, in the quarter-finals or the semi-finals, this could be important. We’ll look back at this game.
"PSG worked really well to prevent Barcelona from playing out from the back with their pressing.
“That’s how some of the goals came. That’s certainly one of the recipes to beat Barcelona. There’s still a long way to go.”
Encore une fois.
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