Paris Saint-Germain have taken charge of Group F following a 3-2 win over Barcelona in the Champions League this evening.
An end-to-end first period brought three goals, with David Luiz and Marco Verratti on the scoresheet for the home side and Lionel Messi registering for the visitors.
PSG made it 3-1 early in the second half through Blaise Matuidi, but Neymar responded minutes later for the Spanish side.
That proved to be the end of the scoring, however, as PSG moved onto four points in Group F.
Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action between the two European rivals.
Match statistics
PSG
Shots: 12
On target: 5
Possession: 40%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 8
Barcelona
Shots: 14
On target: 2
Possession: 60%
Corners: 8
Fouls: 9
Was the result fair?
The statistics and indeed final score point to a close match this evening and while that was the case for long spells, it is difficult to argue that PSG did not deserve to pick up all the points. Barcelona enjoyed possession in the early moments, but the opener from Luiz sparked the home side into life. They conceded shortly after scoring their first, but continued to look dangerous on the counter and indeed from set pieces, which brought both of their first two goals. Barcelona had their moments in the second period, but they did not force Salvatore Sirigu into a single save, with their only two efforts finding the back of the net. PSG might have made it more comfortable in the final moments, but they will be delighted with three points.
PSG's performance
Much of the focus building up to the match was on absent striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was ruled out of the contest with a heel problem. The French side did not miss his presence this evening, however, as they put on arguably their most impressive performance of the season. Lucas Moura and Javier Pastore set the tone in the early moments, with both wide players causing problems with their pace and movement in the final third. PSG's midfield also won the battle in the middle of the park, with two of their central midfielders - Matuidi and Verratti - on the scoresheet. There were some nervy moments in their back four when Luiz ventured forward, but that said, both of Barcelona's goals were of the highest order. The most impressive aspect of their performance this evening was that they beat Barcelona at their own game. It was far from a rear-guard performance, but their defenders were prepared to put their bodies on the line when needed.
Barcelona's performance
In truth, it was a performance from Barcelona that has cropped up on a number of occasions in recent seasons. They produced some brilliant moments in the final third, with Messi at the forefront. However, they were again undone by some terrible defending. Both of PSG's first two goals were avoidable, while the home side's third also raised more questions about Barcelona's ability to defend at the highest level. They dominated possession for periods of the match, especially in the latter stages, but the likes of Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta found it difficult to exert their influence, while Xavi, who made his 143rd appearance in the competition this evening – a record – also found it hard. Neymar did register in the second period, but had a frustrating evening overall in what was an untidy performance from the Catalan outfit. They entered the match having not conceded a single goal in any competition this season, but they were caught out this evening.
Sports Mole's man of the match
David Luiz: Luiz's performance this evening was far from perfect, but he did have a big influence on the match. The Brazilian opened the scoring in Paris with a brilliant finish, while he proved a rock at the heart of PSG's defence in the latter stages. His displays at Chelsea brought more criticism than praise, but the PSG supporters have really taken to him. There is no doubting his ability and this was one of those evenings when it went right for the centre-back.
Biggest gaffe
As touched upon above, Barcelona's defending this evening was very poor. In particular, PSG's second of the night would have infuriated Barca boss Luis Enrique. Verratti was one of the shortest players on the pitch this evening, but the Italian was allowed to arrive unmarked at the far post to head a corner into the back of the net. Rakitic lost Verratti during the set piece, while goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen cannot escape blame for getting nowhere near the cross.
Referee performance
Nicola Rizzoli is now seen by many as the best referee in the world and the Italian put on a confident display this evening. The fact that the match was such an end-to-end and open affair was partly down the official, who was always prepared to allow the play to flow in the correct areas. He did award four yellow cards, but there were few complaints from the receiving players. In truth, Rizzoli was not seen for long spells, which is always a good sign for a referee.
What next?
PSG: The French champions return to Ligue 1 action at home to Monaco on Sunday evening. Their next Champions League group match is against APOEL in Cyprus on October 21.
Barcelona: Barcelona also return to domestic action this weekend with a trip to Rayo Vallecano. Ajax will be the visitors to the Camp Nou in their next Champions League match on October 21.
Matt Law
