Game is over and the final score is PSG 4–2 Man City. Here is the match report.
2024/2025 UEFA Champions League
4 – 2
Match Report
Manchester City’s chances of Champions League progress are in serious jeopardy after they lost a two-goal lead to slump to defeat against Paris St-Germain at Parc des Princes.
On a torrid, rain-lashed night in Paris, all the frailties that have haunted City in a season of decline were laid bare as Pep Guardiola’s side crumbled dramatically in the face of PSG’s pace and creation.
City’s defeat means they risk elimination from the Champions League as they stand 25th in the table, having to win their final game at home to Club Brugge.
It was pure theatre in Paris after Manchester City looked to have turned the game in their favour when substitute Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland struck twice in the first eight minutes of the second half.
PSG, however, had City’s defence living on its nerves all night and hit back instantly when substitute Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola levelled the game before the hour.
Dembele then struck the bar before the outstanding Joao Neves headed home Vitinha’s free-kick after being left unmarked, and City’s agony was compounded in stoppage time when, after a lengthy video assistant referee (VAR) check, Goncalo Ramos’ powerful strike gave the scoreline a more realistic appearance.
City barely deserved the lead that close finishes from Grealish and Haaland had given them, but PSG’s power, pace and quality saw them mount the dramatic comeback that deepened the gloom that has surrounded the Premier League champions this season.
MANCHESTER CITY face a last-gasp scramble to avoid a humiliating Champions League exit on Wednesday night.
And Pep Guardiola’s men only have themselves to blame after crumbling once again.
Three times in four European matches they have tossed away leads to leave their fate in this competition hanging by a thread.
Just 19 months after lifting the trophy they find themselves outside the top 24 with one league game to go.
They will need to beat Club Brugge at the Etihad to secure a play-off for the last 16 – and the way this season has gone that is by no means certain.
Here they looked to be cruising as second-half sub Jack Grealish scored one and created another in the opening minutes of the second half.
But the home side came storming back to level within seven minutes and then won it through Joao Neves’ late header.
And to make matters worse in stoppage time, sub Goncalo Ramos curled home a fourth in stoppage time which was eventually given after a lengthy VAR check.
Nobody could really say the French side didn’t deserve it either as they produced a stirring fightback and overwhelmed their old rivals at times.
These two teams met in the semi-finals just four years ago and have been two of the favourites for the competition in recent years.
They have had some memorable battles over the years and this one was as thrilling as any of them.
After losing leads at Sporting Lisbon, at home to Feyenoord and now here, City have left themselves staring down the barrel.
And who could have predicted that when they were handed a friendly looking set of fixtures back in August.
Guardiola knew this was a huge test against his good friend and former team-mate Luis Enrique – and so it proved.
The French giants have also struggled in Europe but – as usual – they are on course to win the French league comfortably and have played their way back into form recently.
And it showed early on as they went for the English champs from the start – and Joao Neves could have given them an early lead but planted his header over the bar.
At the other end, Savinho shot blocked by Marquinhos and it looked like it may have struck a hand but nothing was given.
Kevin De Bruyne got plenty behind the rebound but home keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma got down well to make the save.
Phil Foden worked himself some space on the right and crossed but Erling Haaland could not get enough power on his header which was straight at the Italian keeper.
But roared on by the home crowd, PSG were always a threat and Vitinha rolled a shot just wide before Josko Gvardiol got back to clear an effort from Fabian Ruiz off the line.
City’s best chance of the first half saw Foden roll the ball into Savinho’s path and he brought a smart low save out of Donnarumma in the home goal.
The French side thought they were ahead on the stroke of half-time as they cut through City and Nuno Mendes’ cross ended up at the feet of Achraf Hakimi who swept home.
The celebrations were cut short by the VAR though as Mendes – a target for Manchester United – was narrowly offside.
It had been a huge test for the visitors in the first half though – they were hanging onto their place in the last 24 by a thread.
Guardiola made changes at the break – bringing onGrealish and Rico Lewis – possibly looking for more control in he game.
But the fact Ruben Dias did not re-emerge for the second half was another worry for City in a season that has been full of them.
Even so, it proved to be an inspired move to get Grealish on.
Akanji burst into the box down the right and squared for Bernardo Silva whose shot was blocked by the home keeper.
But it fell perfectly to the England ace who hammered it home from 12 yards.
And three minutes later he was involved again as Matheus Nunes played him in down the left and his low cross was deflected into the path of Haaland.
The Norwegian was never going to miss that for his 23rd of the season and City had breathing space.
In previous years it might have been enough – but not this one.
Credit to the home side for sticking at it and they were back in it when Bradley Barcola nutmegged Nunes and squared for sub Ousmane Dembele to sweep home.
You almost knew what was coming next and sure enough Desire Doue’s curler beat Ederson and hit the bar but Barcola forced home the rebound off the post
Four goals in 10 extraordinary minutes and now it was the home side looking the likelier winners by far.
Dembele slipped it through Bernardo’s legs before hammering a shot against the bar from a narrow angle with Ederson hardly seeing it.
So it was no surprise when Vitinha’s free-kick made its way to the back post where an unmarked Joao Neves headed home.
Bedlam in the Parc des Princes. The comeback was complete and City could have no complaints.
credit: AF
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