UCL: PSG overcome Barcelona, Liverpool edge Villarreal

Champions League holders PSG defeated Barcelona 4-2 in Paris, while Liverpool came back from 2 goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield on Tuesday night.

Barcelona’s perfect start to the season was stopped at the Parc des Princes as PSG proved more clinical in a breathless contest, overcoming the Catalans 4-2.

The hosts took control of the game with Kvaratskhelia hitting the post early and Barcelona Joan Garcia made wonderful saves to deny PSG an opener.

But the breakthrough came in the 38th minute when Doue drove a fierce low shot into the corner after Lamine Yamal surrendered possession in Barcelona’s half.

Barcelona restored parity in the 55th minute through Espart, who created and finished a superb move to score a goal in his first Champions League start.

Hernández restored PSG’s lead in the 72nd minute when he headed in from a corner, but Lamine Yamal equalised with a brilliant individual effort in the 79th minute.

Midfielder Vitinha responded with a fine strike less than two minutes later before Fabian Ruiz scored PSG’s fourth goal a few minutes later to seal the victory.

The result lifted PSG onto nine points and top of the Champions League standings, ahead of Liverpool ‌on goal ⁠difference.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick said his team will build upon the positives from the game.

“We need to analyse the match, but I saw some very good things and things ⁠that we should build upon. I don’t want to be negative; I’m feeling positive,” he said.

At Anfield, Villarreal stunned Liverpool when they went two goals up in the 29th minute through goals from Mikautadze and Cardona.

But Liverpool responded with two goals before the break from Mac Allister in the 36th minute and Ronald Aroujo in the first-half stoppage time.

More Liverpool goals from Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz made it four for Liverpool, while Tani Oluwaseyi scored Villarreal’s third, ending the match 4-3 in Liverpool’s favour.

At the Etihad, Manchester City thrashed AEK Athens 5-1 with a hat-trick from Phil Foden and goals from Eliot Anderson and Ryan Cherki. Stavros Pilios scored Athens’ only goal of the match.

In other results, Atletico Madrid forced Stuttgart to a 1-1 draw, Napoli edged Bodo/Glimt 4-3, Roma dispatched Slovan Bratislava 4-0 while Borussia Dortmund defeated Sabah 2-1.

More Champions League Matchday 3 games will be played tonight across different stadiums, including Bayern Munich against Arsenal at the Allianz Arena.