Match ends, Paris Saint Germain 2, Manchester City 0.
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
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.
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
Paris Saint Germain
Avg
- Squad number30Player nameMessiAverage rating
7.42
- Squad number27Player nameGueyeAverage rating
7.25
- Squad number6Player nameVerrattiAverage rating
6.84
- Squad number7Player nameMbappéAverage rating
6.73
- Squad number50Player nameG DonnarummaAverage rating
6.72
- Squad number2Player nameHakimiAverage rating
6.72
- Squad number5Player nameMarquinhosAverage rating
6.65
- Squad number18Player nameWijnaldumAverage rating
6.57
- Squad number3Player nameKimpembeAverage rating
6.54
- Squad number25Player nameNuno MendesAverage rating
6.39
- Squad number21Player nameHerreraAverage rating
6.32
- Squad number10Player nameNeymarAverage rating
6.29
- Squad number15Player nameDanilo PereiraAverage rating
5.99
Manchester City
Avg
- Squad number17Player nameDe BruyneAverage rating
5.32
- Squad number2Player nameWalkerAverage rating
5.20
- Squad number10Player nameGrealishAverage rating
5.14
- Squad number3Player nameRúben DiasAverage rating
5.03
- Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating
4.98
- Squad number20Player nameBernardo SilvaAverage rating
4.96
- Squad number27Player nameJoão CanceloAverage rating
4.95
- Squad number16Player nameRodriAverage rating
4.93
- Squad number14Player nameLaporteAverage rating
4.90
- Squad number31Player nameEdersonAverage rating
4.90
- Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating
4.80
- Squad number7Player nameSterlingAverage rating
4.45
- Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage 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
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away7
- Corners
- Home2
- Away10
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Paris Saint Germain 2, Manchester City 0.
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.
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Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Georginio Wijnaldum (Paris Saint Germain).
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Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City).
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Neymar (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Danilo Pereira replaces Idrissa Gueye.
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Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Idrissa Gueye (Paris Saint Germain).
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Attempt blocked. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked. Assisted by Rodri.
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Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City).
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Lionel Messi (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Nuno Mendes.
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Offside, Paris Saint Germain. Marquinhos tries a through ball, but Nuno Mendes is caught offside.
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Foul by Rúben Dias (Manchester City).
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Neymar (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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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.
Substitution
Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Georginio Wijnaldum replaces Marco Verratti.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Well played City, unlucky. Not a bad performance, lots of chances created and dominated the game away from home, so no disappointments.
Donnarumma is some stopper, don't we know that.
Club Bruges making things interesting.
KDB probably should've gone and Messi's a genius. Take the loss and move on to Anfield on Saturday- should be a cracker!
What is the point of VAR if it's not going to be used in instances such as this?
Sterling cannot finish so what was he doing in that position.