PSG beat Barcelona 4-2 to end Flick's unbeaten start as Dembélé limps off

Paris Saint-Germain beat Barcelona 4-2 at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, with Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz scoring in the last ten minutes to hand Hansi Flick's side their first defeat of the season after an 11-match unbeaten start. Désiré Doué and Lucas Hernández also scored for the holders, while Xavi Espart and Lamine Yamal twice drew Barcelona level.

How the goals came

PSG pressed from the first whistle. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia hit the foot of the post after 79 seconds, and Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García finished the night with 10 saves. The opener came in the 38th minute: João Neves won the ball back after a Yamal clearance, and Doué cut inside and shot low into the corner. Doué has now scored in each of his last three appearances, after failing to score in his first seven games of the season.

Espart, 19, equalised in the 55th minute, bursting into the box and beating PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov at his near post for his first goal in Europe. Ruiz then hit the post from six yards, and from the resulting corner Hernández headed PSG back in front in the 72nd minute. Yamal made it 2-2 in the 79th, turning Warren Zaïre-Emery and squeezing the ball between Safonov and the post. Less than two minutes later Vitinha controlled a clearance on his chest and volleyed into the bottom corner, and Ruiz converted Achraf Hakimi's low cross at the back post in the 86th minute.

Injuries on both sides

The win came at a cost. Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembélé pulled up in a sprint inside the first 20 minutes and went off with a suspected hamstring injury, according to Sky Sports. Ferran Torres, a former Barcelona player, replaced him. Kvaratskhelia was helped off just before the hour and replaced by Maghnes Akliouche, and Marquinhos also went off injured at the same time. For Barcelona, Dani Olmo was forced off in the 27th minute after a challenge with Vitinha. "Olmo took that knock and felt some pain. We have to wait," Flick said.

Barcelona were already without Andreas Christensen, Jules Koundé and Eric García, and Rodri started on the bench, with Flick saying the midfielder "has to be protected". Rodri came on in a triple change on the hour, as Marc Bernal, Pedri and Raphinha went off, with Barcelona due to face Real Madrid in the Clásico on Sunday.

What they said

"It was a fantastic game from both teams. PSG showed they are better than us," Flick said, adding that "in the final 10 minutes we weren't fresh, although that's not an excuse." Barcelona forward Anthony Gordon told TNT Sports: "They deserved it. They were the better team and had the better moments with real quality." PSG coach Luis Enrique told Canal+: "We did a great job defensively and won against a team that hadn't lost this season." He singled out Hernández: "He's aggressive, he doesn't give away needless fouls, and he played an incredible match."

The table

PSG lead the league phase with nine points from three games, level with Liverpool but ahead on goal difference (+9 to +5). Barcelona stay fifth on six points. On 3 November PSG visit Villarreal, while Barcelona host Aston Villa.