Champions League - Group A
PSGParis Saint Germain2Man CityManchester City0

Paris St-Germain 2-0 Manchester City: Lionel Messi scores first PSG goal in win

By Emlyn BegleyBBC Sport
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has scored 121 Champions League goals - 120 for Barcelona and one for PSG

Lionel Messi scored his first Paris St-Germain goal in stunning fashion as they beat Manchester City in an enthralling Champions League group game.

Messi, making his fourth appearance for PSG since leaving Barcelona, ran from the halfway line before playing a one-two with Kylian Mbappe and leaving Ederson rooted to the spot with a lovely 20-yard shot.

The roar from the Parc des Princes crowd was deafening as the Argentine, on his return from injury, added one PSG goal to the 672 he managed for Barca.

Idrissa Gueye had given last season's French runners-up an early lead with an excellent drive into the top corner.

City had plenty of chances to score in between those goals with Raheem Sterling's header hitting the bar and Bernardo Silva striking the woodwork from the rebound with an empty net in front of him.

They also had seven shots on target but could not beat Champions League debutant Gianluigi Donnarumma in PSG's goal.

The second age of Messi begins

How Lionel Messi scored his goal
How Lionel Messi (number 30) scored his goal

The first three games of Messi's spell at PSG - which has been interrupted by injury and fitness issues - had failed to set the world alight. No goals and no assists.

But this was the night that all changed as he glided across the Parisian turf, gave the ball to Mbappe and got it back with a backheel before bamboozling Ederson with his shot.

That was his seventh goal in five Champions League games against teams managed by Pep Guardiola - his former Barcelona boss - and his seventh goal against City.

The build-up to this match had all been about whether he would return form a knee injury which had kept him out for a couple of games. There was a huge cheer from the fans before the game as his name was read out in the starting XI.

He was involved earlier in the move for the opening goal too, finding Mbappe outside the box.

Mbappe's pass was air-kicked by Neymar, with Gueye then scoring a beauty.

Messi's only shot was the goal - but on a night when City made PSG work hard, the veteran did his fair share too.

Almost a third of his touches were in his own half, including when he tackled Riyad Mahrez just outside the box.

Even at the end, he performed the draught excluder role in the wall for a Kevin de Bruyne free-kick - a position almost invented to defend his own free-kicks.

PSG - who have won all their Ligue 1 games to date - are a different team than the one who lost both legs to City in last year's semi-final.

Gueye and Marco Verratti, back from four games out injured, were excellent in central midfield - and the team defended well too to keep City out.

Donnarumma, in goal, made seven saves as well as four claims or punches. Ederson in the other goal only made one save.

This ended a run of four consecutive Champions League matches without a win - including both City games last season.

'When Messi can run and get close to the ball, he is unstoppable' - Guardiola

Frustrating night for Man City

This was City's first Champions League group defeat since September 2018, when they lost 2-1 to Lyon, a run of 18 games unbeaten.

They came into the game on a high after beating European champions and Premier League title rivals Chelsea 1-0 on Saturday.

And they had enough chances at the Parc des Princes to win about three games - most notably when Sterling and Bernardo hit the bar in the space of five seconds. Bernardo's chance, in particular, was a sitter with an open goal about four yards out.

Guardiola's side frequently threatened to get in behind PSG's backline with reverse passes but it never paid off.

Mahrez was denied by Donnarumma three times, with De Bruyne forcing the Italian into two saves - and Joao Cancelo and Ruben Dias also having shots on target.

De Bruyne was lucky to even be on the pitch as he avoided a red card for standing on Gueye's leg in a challenge.

City keeper Ederson only touched the ball 13 times, making one save. Donnarumma was involved 44 times in the game.

This result in itself is not ruinous for City, with teams able to afford losing a Champions League game so long as they win most of their others.

But will it dent their morale? We should find out on Sunday as they go to Anfield to face Liverpool.

Player of the match

MessiLionel Messi

with an average of 7.42

Paris Saint Germain

  1. Squad number30Player nameMessi
    Average rating

    7.42

  2. Squad number27Player nameGueye
    Average rating

    7.25

  3. Squad number6Player nameVerratti
    Average rating

    6.84

  4. Squad number7Player nameMbappé
    Average rating

    6.73

  5. Squad number50Player nameG Donnarumma
    Average rating

    6.72

  6. Squad number2Player nameHakimi
    Average rating

    6.72

  7. Squad number5Player nameMarquinhos
    Average rating

    6.65

  8. Squad number18Player nameWijnaldum
    Average rating

    6.57

  9. Squad number3Player nameKimpembe
    Average rating

    6.54

  10. Squad number25Player nameNuno Mendes
    Average rating

    6.39

  11. Squad number21Player nameHerrera
    Average rating

    6.32

  12. Squad number10Player nameNeymar
    Average rating

    6.29

  13. Squad number15Player nameDanilo Pereira
    Average rating

    5.99

Manchester City

  1. Squad number17Player nameDe Bruyne
    Average rating

    5.32

  2. Squad number2Player nameWalker
    Average rating

    5.20

  3. Squad number10Player nameGrealish
    Average rating

    5.14

  4. Squad number3Player nameRúben Dias
    Average rating

    5.03

  5. Squad number26Player nameMahrez
    Average rating

    4.98

  6. Squad number20Player nameBernardo Silva
    Average rating

    4.96

  7. Squad number27Player nameJoão Cancelo
    Average rating

    4.95

  8. Squad number16Player nameRodri
    Average rating

    4.93

  9. Squad number14Player nameLaporte
    Average rating

    4.90

  10. Squad number31Player nameEderson
    Average rating

    4.90

  11. Squad number47Player nameFoden
    Average rating

    4.80

  12. Squad number7Player nameSterling
    Average rating

    4.45

  13. Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus
    Average rating

    4.36

Line-ups

PSG

Formation 4-3-3

  • 50G Donnarumma
  • 2Hakimi
  • 5Marquinhos
  • 3Kimpembe
  • 25Nuno Mendes
  • 21Herrera
  • 6VerrattiBooked at 77minsSubstituted forWijnaldumat 78'minutes
  • 27GueyeSubstituted forDaniloat 90'minutes
  • 30Messi
  • 7Mbappé
  • 10Neymar

Substitutes

  • 1Navas
  • 8Paredes
  • 9Icardi
  • 15Danilo
  • 17Dagba
  • 18Wijnaldum
  • 20Kurzawa
  • 22Diallo
  • 23Draxler
  • 24Kehrer
  • 28Ebimbe
  • 60Letellier

Man City

Formation 4-3-3

  • 31Ederson
  • 2Walker
  • 3Rúben Dias
  • 14Laporte
  • 27CanceloBooked at 24mins
  • 20Bernardo Silva
  • 16Rodri
  • 17De BruyneBooked at 39mins
  • 26Mahrez
  • 7SterlingSubstituted forGabriel Jesusat 78'minutes
  • 10GrealishSubstituted forFodenat 68'minutes

Substitutes

  • 5Stones
  • 6Aké
  • 9Gabriel Jesus
  • 13Steffen
  • 21F Torres
  • 25Fernandinho
  • 33Carson
  • 47Foden
  • 87McAtee
  • 97Wilson-Esbrand
Referee:
Carlos del Cerro Grande
Attendance:
37,350

Match Stats

Home TeamPSGAway TeamMan City
Possession
Home46%
Away54%
Shots
Home6
Away18
Shots on Target
Home3
Away7
Corners
Home2
Away10
Fouls
Home8
Away12

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Paris Saint Germain 2, Manchester City 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Paris Saint Germain 2, Manchester City 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.

  4. Post update

    Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Georginio Wijnaldum (Paris Saint Germain).

  6. Post update

    Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City).

  7. Post update

    Neymar (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  8. Post update

    Attempt saved. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

  9. Substitution

    Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Danilo Pereira replaces Idrissa Gueye.

  10. Post update

    Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Idrissa Gueye (Paris Saint Germain).

  12. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked. Assisted by Rodri.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City).

  14. Post update

    Lionel Messi (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  15. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Nuno Mendes.

  16. Post update

    Offside, Paris Saint Germain. Marquinhos tries a through ball, but Nuno Mendes is caught offside.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Rúben Dias (Manchester City).

  18. Post update

    Neymar (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  19. Post update

    Attempt saved. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Bernardo Silva with a cross.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Georginio Wijnaldum replaces Marco Verratti.

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