FC Barcelona fell to their first defeat of the season on Tuesday night, beaten 2–1 at home by Paris Saint-Germain in a pulsating, but ultimately disappointing, Champions League encounter at the Estadi Olímpic.

Barça have so often been the team producing dramatic comebacks, but this time they were on the receiving end of one. Ferran Torres’ opener on 19 minutes suggested all was going to plan, yet after a timid start PSG clicked into gear. Senny Mayulu levelled just before half-time, and a late surge from the French champions brought Gonçalo Ramos’ 90th-minute winner.

There is no disgrace in losing to the reigning European champions in such a finely balanced contest. It could easily have swung Barça’s way, but instead it tipped to PSG. That's football, you can't win them all. And with six group games still to play, there is ample time for Hansi Flick’s men to collect the points they need to secure a top-eight finish.

the game as it happened

Ferran strikes first

Even with injuries on both sides, these are two of the world’s elite teams, and they served up end-to-end entertainment from the opening whistle. With two attack-minded sides on the pitch, it was always going to be breathless.

For the first half-hour, most of the action came at PSG’s end. Lamine Yamal, so often inspired on European nights, sparked the move that led to the breakthrough. Marcus Rashford slid the final pass into Ferran Torres’ path, and after being thwarted moments earlier by keeper Lucas Chevalier, the “Shark” made no mistake at the second attempt.

PSG hit back

Luis Enrique’s side were already missing key players, and the late withdrawal of João Neves seemed to tilt things further Barça’s way. But PSG refused to wilt. Gradually they took control of the half, and their equaliser almost felt inevitable by the time it arrived on 39 minutes.

Nuno Mendes, excellent in his defensive duties against Yamal, zig-zagged through the blaugrana back line and squared for Mayulu to fire home.

Barça continued to press after the restart, with Dani Olmo going closest, but PSG’s back line, as formidable as any in Europe, repeatedly shut the door.

Late heartbreak

As legs tired, it was Barça who began to suffer most. PSG were enjoying almost all the meaningful possession, Kang-In Lee rattled the post on 83 minutes, and the pressure finally told at the death. Achraf Hakimi’s low ball found Gonçalo Ramos, who swept in the decisive goal in the final minute of normal time.

Barça couldn’t conjure a stoppage-time response, and for the third successive meeting in Barcelona, PSG emerged victorious — a feat no other side has achieved before.

Now Flick’s men must regroup, with their next Champions League test not until October 21, when Olympiacos come to town.

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