PSG humiliates Lamine Yamal’s Barça: Champions League lesson

In an exciting UEFA Champions League encounter, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) dealt a resounding blow to Barcelona by defeating them 2-1 on Catalan territory. Despite the significant absences of key players such as Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia due to injury, PSG demonstrated their worth and adaptability. The match turned into a fascinating duel, with Lamine Yamal, who was runner-up in the Ballon d’Or, seeking to shine at the Olympic Stadium. Although he had outstanding moments, his confrontation with left-back Nuno Mendes captured attention. However, it was the PSG team strategy, led by Luis Enrique, that prevailed, recalling their victory in the competition last season. Ferran Torres put Barcelona ahead in an electrifying first half, but Senny Mayulu equalized for PSG before halftime. In the second half, the French team’s dominance was evident. Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, surprised by fielding Eric García and Pau Cubarsí in central defense, who were sometimes overwhelmed by PSG’s improvised attack, led by Mayulu, Bradley Barcola, and 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye. The home fans, resigned, watched as Gonçalo Ramos scored the winning goal in the 90th minute. After the final whistle, the stadium emptied quickly, except for the 3,000 French fans who celebrated their team’s victory. This triumph, considering the circumstances and the quality of the opponent, will boost the confidence of the European champion, despite the aforementioned absences and that of Marquinhos. The match began with a flash of Yamal, who performed a spectacular dribble in the first few minutes. He managed to keep the ball in play and advance towards the PSG area, surpassing several players before assisting Torres, who missed the opportunity. Subsequently, Yamal assisted Torres again with a pass, but the shot was cleared. Finally, Torres managed to score after receiving a pass.

PSG, although threatening in set-piece plays, did not manage to generate much danger. The duel between Mendes and Yamal became the center of attention. Achraf Hakimi, PSG captain, had declared before the match that the “best left-back in the world” could stop Yamal, as he had already demonstrated in the UEFA Nations League final. In the match, Mendes managed to take the ball away from Yamal in the area, also demonstrating his offensive capabilities. He was the subject of a foul by Frenkie de Jong and then assisted Mayulu for the equalizer. Before halftime, Mendes committed a foul on Yamal and was cautioned. In the second half, Mendes brought down Yamal again, but avoided a second caution. Luis Enrique reacted quickly, substituting Mendes to protect him from Yamal. In the final minutes, Lee Kang-in hit the ball against the post and Mendes headed directly at Wojciech Szczesny. It seemed the match would end in a draw, but Hakimi found space on the right, assisted Ramos in the area, and the Portuguese striker scored the winning goal.