Vitinha’s stunning late goal proved decisive as Paris Saint-Germain defeated rivals Barcelona 4-2 in a dramatic Champions League clash on Tuesday night.
With the score tied at 2-2, the Portuguese midfielder—last year’s Ballon d’Or third-place finisher—controlled the ball on his chest and unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box in the 81st minute at the Parc des Princes.
Fabian Ruiz added a late fourth to secure PSG’s third consecutive win in this season’s competition as they pursue a third straight Champions League title.
Barcelona had appeared on course to earn a point when Lamine Yamal, a leading contender for this year’s Ballon d’Or, netted the visitors’ second equaliser. Earlier, Desire Doue opened the scoring for PSG, while Lucas Hernandez restored their lead after teenager Xavi Espart found the net for Barcelona.
The defeat ends Barcelona’s run of 11 straight wins to start the season, though it should not seriously threaten their chances of progressing in the tournament. Yamal’s goal was Barcelona’s 50th of the campaign, highlighting their attacking prowess despite the setback.
PSG, meanwhile, extended their winning streak to seven matches across Ligue 1 and the Champions League, though they suffered injuries to Ousmane Dembele—the reigning Ballon d’Or winner—and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The severity of their injuries remains to be seen, but with Doue starring on the night, Luis Enrique’s side remains well-positioned to reach the knockout rounds comfortably.
This encounter marked the 14th Champions League meeting between the two clubs in the past 13 years. For Barcelona, attention will now shift to Sunday’s showdown with Real Madrid, where a win at home could see them move nine points clear in La Liga.
Notably, 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri started on the bench for Barcelona, while Raphinha returned to the starting XI. PSG nearly took an early lead when Kvaratskhelia struck the post inside 90 seconds, but were dealt a blow when Dembele limped off with a hamstring injury after 20 minutes. Ferran Torres came on to face his former club, and soon after, Dani Olmo also exited due to injury.
Paris broke the deadlock in the 38th minute after Yamal lost possession in his own half. Doue capitalized, showing exceptional footwork before finishing low into the bottom corner. Barcelona responded after the break, with Fermin Lopez releasing Espart to score his second senior goal.
Rodri was introduced as the match opened up further. Torres hit the post for the hosts before Hernandez headed PSG back into the lead from a corner—his third goal for the club and first since February 2024. Hernandez, who had been tasked with marking Yamal, was substituted shortly after, and his replacement Warren Zaire-Emery was caught out as Yamal raced clear to grab his 10th goal of the season.
In the closing stages, PSG reasserted their dominance. Vitinha’s brilliant strike made it 3-2 before Ruiz finished from close range to seal a thrilling victory, reaffirming PSG’s status as Europe’s team to beat this season.
