Paris Saint-Germain maintained their perfect start to the UEFA Champions League group stage with a 4-2 victory over Barcelona at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, while Liverpool staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield. Other key results included Manchester City’s 5-1 win over AEK Athens, Roma’s 4-0 triumph against Slovan Bratislava, and Napoli’s 4-3 victory over Bodo/Glimt.
PSG, the reigning champions, extended their winning streak to three consecutive group-stage matches this season and seven in all competitions after last week’s 4-2 victory over Manchester City. Desire Doue opened the scoring for the hosts in the 38th minute, capitalizing on a Barcelona turnover, before the Catalans leveled through teenager Xavi Espart just after halftime. Lucas Hernandez restored PSG’s lead with a header from a corner, only for Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal to equalize again. However, late goals from Vitinha, who struck a powerful shot from outside the box in the 81st minute, and Fabian Ruiz secured the win for PSG.
The match was marked by injuries to several key PSG players. Ousmane Dembele, Khovicha Kvartskhelia, and Marquinhos all left the pitch due to injuries, with Kvartskhelia reportedly requiring surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament tear. Dembele and Marquinhos face layoff periods of several weeks with muscle injuries, a blow for the French side as they look to defend their Champions League title.
Barcelona, who came into the match undefeated in 11 games across all competitions, saw their winning streak ended but remain well placed to progress through the group stages. Coach Hansi Flick acknowledged the team made mistakes but emphasized that the season is long and that titles are won later in the campaign. He praised the team’s shift in tactics—including high pressing—and noted the offensive contributions continuing from his squad, with Yamal scoring his 10th goal of the season.
Meanwhile, Liverpool overturned a two-goal deficit against Villarreal to maintain a 100% record in their group. Goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Ronald Araujo brought Liverpool level by halftime, and further strikes, including a first goal of the season for substitute Florian Wirtz, helped the hosts secure a 4-3 win, despite a late goal from Villarreal’s Tani Oluwaseyi. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp highlighted defensive lapses despite the victory, while Villarreal coach Andoni Iraola acknowledged the resilience of his opponents but expressed concerns about his team’s defensive performance.
At the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City thrashed AEK Athens 5-1 with a hat-trick from Phil Foden, who is regaining form after a period of limited playing time. Rayan Cherki and Elliot Anderson also contributed to the comprehensive win, achieved despite the absence of key striker Erling Haaland due to injury.
Italian sides Roma and Napoli secured important wins as well. Roma recorded their first Champions League victory since 2019, dispatching Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at home. Napoli overcame a resilient Bodo/Glimt side in a high-scoring 4-3 match, with Scott McTominay scoring twice in the game.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 with Stuttgart in Germany despite playing with ten men for much of the second half, while Borussia Dortmund ended a series of away defeats by winning 2-1 at Sabah in Baku.