Paris St-Germain beat Manchester City 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium, a result that followed a ruthless first-half display from the Champions League holders. City returned home for the first time since being found guilty of breaching Premier League financial regulations, and they presented an “us against the world” front.
Pep Guardiola was back at the ground where he won trophies over a decade, and he publicly backed embattled chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano. The Catalan was a low-key presence in a flat cap, sitting a row behind the pair. He chose a game certain to attract a global audience for his return, which carried its own significance. He is ignoring the outside noise to back his former bosses as they seek to clear their name on appeal after the guilty verdict from an independent commission.
The stand bearing his name displayed a “CTID” (City ‘Til I Die) mosaic, and the build-up to kick-off featured fireworks and pyrotechnics worthy of several rock concerts. The show of defiance was going well until the match began.
A devastating first half
PSG produced a brutal display of attacking football that left City shell-shocked. The damage came in the opening 45 minutes, with Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha on the scoresheet. A stadium that had roared Guardiola’s name at kick-off fell into stunned silence within the first 15 minutes.
City, so composed amid the toxicity of Anfield only days earlier, looked overwhelmed. Even combative players such as Enzo Fernandez were reduced to chasing shadows. The half-time score of 3-0 arguably flattered City. PSG, coached by Luis Enrique, had dominated the game, and the home side trailed with a lot of ground to make up.
A second-half revival
City responded much better after the break, and Enzo Maresca deserves credit for making three half-time changes. His side created a host of chances. The comeback did not undo the damage of the first half, but it gave the home supporters something to cheer and allowed them to build a frenzied atmosphere that carried through to a rousing send-off at the final whistle.
Erling Haaland gave City hope, but that hope was short-lived. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had a poor night against his former club, saved from Maghnes Akliouche, only to see the ball drop behind him and into the net. Josko Gvardiol also had a header cleared off the line. Guardiola reacted with anguish to that moment, and he pumped his fists when Haaland scored.
Maresca and Onuoha share their views
Maresca saw enough to feel encouraged about a possible rematch with PSG later in the Champions League, despite how thoroughly his side were dismantled in the first half.
“I really like playing against PSG because they are brave,” said Maresca. “We know the way they want to press. They go man-to-man and they are very dynamic on the ball. They are the best team in Europe. They play fantastic football.
“But I think we are there. The reason why we struggled was because we conceded two early goals so quickly. When you are on the pitch you might think this is difficult, but in the second half we created enough to maybe deserve something.
“We feel sorry for the first half but I think we’re quite happy now.”
Former City defender Nedum Onuoha, working for Match of the Day, described the match as “great entertainment” but “not a normal game of football”.
“I don’t feel like both teams were going at it at the same time,” he said. “In the first half, PSG were excellent and City looked really off the pace. As a consequence they were heavily punished and the game basically left them.
“But then in the second half they have made some changes, they have rallied, knowing they are playing in front of their own crowd and their performance had to be better. So, it was more aggressive and more on the front foot, and that’s why we saw those crazy scenes where it was shot after shot by City.
“If these two teams had played this game in matchweek six or seven, it would not have looked like this. There would have been more defensive solidity from both sides and they would probably have approached the game in a different manner.
“But at this stage, as we have kind of seen with some of the other games tonight, it is just goals, goals and more goals.”
Enrique’s PSG remain Europe’s benchmark
Enrique’s side added another win over City to a Champions League list of victims that includes Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. Those wins came in a semi-final and then last season’s final. He is currently master of all he surveys in Europe as leader of this outstanding PSG team.
For City, attention now turns to domestic matters. They host Ipswich Town on Saturday, with uncertainty surrounding the club as the Premier League awaits sanctions and the result of their appeal.