Paris Saint-Germain performed a stunning comeback against Manchester City to win 4-2 at Parc des Princes in the seventh round of the Champions League league stage. Six goals in the second half alone made this match a spectacular event that sent fans into incredulous passion.
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With this victory, PSG reached 10 points and kept the hopes of qualifying alive. Manchester City, which started the night in the qualifying zone, fell to 8 points and became dependent on a victory in the final round to avoid saying goodbye to the competition.
City's strong start and unexpected collapse
The second half was the stage for another brilliant performance by Manchester City. With quick and incisive soccer, the team took a two-goal lead within a few minutes. Jack Grealish scored in the 50th minute, while Erling Haaland extended it in the 53rd. It was the perfect scenario for Pep Guardiola's team to consolidate their campaign.
But soccer is full of surprises. PSG managed to pull itself together and did an impressive turn of events. Dembélé scored the first goal, and from there, the French team took over the match, pushed by the crowd and an exemplary collective performance.
Resilience and youth at PSG
Luis Enrique saluted the mental firmness and maturity of his squad that's still on the rise. To him, the win marked a point: "I've got to be in a position to admit that we do have the best fans in the world. They just don't let us down, both at home and away. It is to them that we dedicate this victory. It is a true statement-this triumph.
It all started with Dembélé, but the goal that equaled the score by Barcola was what completely turned things around in the match. "I think the most important goal was the first, a breakthrough by Barcola. It opens up the game and changes the appearance of the tie. That's what made this night possible," said Luis Enrique. João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos sealed the scoring to complete an epic night at Parc des Princes.
The youth of the squad was also underlined by the coach: "This team never gives up, even when it's losing by two goals. This match will strengthen my players; they are young and don't have much experience in games like this." For Enrique, confidence and collective growth are the pillars that guided the team to victory.
Crisis at Manchester City
On the English side, the alarm bell is already ringing. Defeated, Manchester City reached four straight games without a triumph in the Champions League. Something that had previously happened between seasons 2017/18 and 2018/19 was a history he would certainly be avoiding.
Comfortable in the opening minutes of the second half, collapsing after the first goal from PSG was all from the team. It was a fragile defensive team that could not bear the pressure imposed by the home team. Now, Manchester City needs to win against Club Brugge in the last round to qualify for the playoffs. A draw or defeat will mean the early elimination of one of the most expensive and best-trained teams in Europe.
The game was never like we wanted, but I give credit to them because they are an exceptional team. When you have to defend a result, you have to have the ball, and that wasn't the case. We have one last chance against Brugge to qualify," said Guardiola.
The home factor that made the difference
The Parc des Princes has remained a fortress for PSG in European competitions. The win over Manchester City reinforces the club's excellent record against English teams at home: only four losses in 15 UEFA matches. In addition, the stadium is synonymous with goals. None of PSG's last 89 European matches ended without a goal, the last being a 0-0 draw against Real Madrid in 2015.
Luis Enrique admitted the energy of the crowd: “When we lost the ball, we didn’t stop pressing. I feel proud, against a team like this, against a coach like this, against players so good. It was a complete performance.”