The key facts

  • PSG — third win in three Champions League matches; Barcelona suffered their first defeat of the season after 11 straight wins
  • PSG injuries: Dembele (hamstring, 20th minute), Marquinhos and Kvaratskhelia; according to Kun.uz, Kvaratskhelia could be out until the end of the season
  • Liverpool came back from 0:2 to beat Villarreal 4:3; Manchester City won 5:1 against AEK (Foden hat-trick, Haaland did not play)

PSG 4:2 Barcelona: drama at the Parc des Princes

Reigning trophy holders PSG claimed a third win in three league-phase matches, beating Barcelona 4:2. Desire Doue opened the scoring in the 38th minute after a Lamine Yamal loss of possession. Barcelona, who arrived at the match with 11 straight wins this season, came back twice: in the 55th minute 19-year-old defender Jofre Torrents (Xavi Espart) scored, and in the 79th Yamal punished Warren Zaire-Emery for a mistake on an aerial ball. It was the Catalans' 50th goal of the season. But in the 81st minute Vitinha struck first-time from outside the box, and in the 86th (according to Kun.uz, the 87th) Fabian Ruiz finished off an Achraf Hakimi cutback. 'We don't feel superior to anyone, but we believe in ourselves,' Ruiz told Movistar. Hansi Flick noted: 'It was a fantastic game from both teams, but we made too many mistakes... Today, in October, you don't win titles. The Champions League is won in June.' Doue added to Canal+: 'It's only the start of the season, there are many big matches ahead, but the hunger is there.'

Injuries marred PSG's win

PSG lost three players at once: Ousmane Dembele — last year's Ballon d'Or winner — left the pitch in the 20th minute with a hamstring injury, while Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia went off almost simultaneously after the conceded goal. Barcelona's Dani Olmo also picked up an injury. According to Kun.uz, Kvaratskhelia's injury is believed to be serious and the Georgian winger may not return before the end of the season; AFP notes that the severity of the injuries is still unclear. Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia, according to Kun.uz, made eight saves, including a double save against Torres and Ruiz. 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri started the match on the bench, Raphinha returned to the line-up. It was the teams' 14th Champions League meeting in the last 13 years.

Liverpool came back against Villarreal

Liverpool kept their perfect record, coming back from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4:3 at Anfield. Georges Mikautadze punished a Virgil van Dijk error in the 4th minute, then Sergi Cardona made it 0:2. Alexis Mac Allister reduced the deficit from a Kostas Tsimikas delivery, and in first-half stoppage time Ronald Araujo equalised after a cross from Rio Ngumoha that Cardona left unattended. Mac Allister put the hosts ahead, and substitute Florian Wirtz scored his first goal of the season. Tani Oluwaseyi reduced the deficit, but Liverpool held on for the win. 'It's good to come back, but we're conceding too much this season,' Villarreal coach Andoni Iraola told Amazon Prime.

City, Roma, Napoli and other results

Manchester City thrashed AEK 5:1: Elliot Anderson opened the scoring with his first goal for the club, Phil Foden bagged a hat-trick, and Ryan Cherki scored the third goal. Erling Haaland did not appear on the pitch after the bruise picked up at the weekend; according to Kun.uz, Abdukodir Khusanov played the full match. 'Slowly but surely. There's still a long way to go, but I'm moving in the right direction,' Foden told TNT Sports. Roma won in the Champions League for the first time since 2019, thrashing Slovan 4:0. Massimiliano Allegri's Napoli edged Bodo/Glimt 4:3 in a hard-fought game — Scott McTominay scored a brace; after all four Serie A clubs lost last week, the Italian teams claimed two wins. Atletico drew 1:1 with Stuttgart, playing with ten men for most of the second half, while Borussia Dortmund ended a run of four away defeats in the Champions League by beating Sabah 2:1 in Baku; according to Kun.uz, Alisher Rakhmanaliev's team lost to the Dortmund side.