Paris Saint-Germain sent a powerful statement of intent in the Champions League with a last-minute 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Goncalo Ramos, introduced as a substitute, struck decisively in stoppage time to seal the win.
Barcelona initially looked the stronger side, opening the scoring through Ferran Torres. The Spanish forward latched onto a precise low cross from Marcus Rashford, who continued his excellent form with another assist. Rashford has now scored or assisted in five of Barcelona’s last six games, quickly becoming one of their most influential players.
Despite missing several key players, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and captain Marquinhos, PSG fought back with determination. They equalised when Nuno Mendes surged forward before setting up teenager Senny Mayulu, who calmly slotted home his second Champions League goal.
The match remained finely balanced, with Barcelona’s attacking duo of Rashford and Lamine Yamal troubling PSG’s defence. But Luis Enrique’s side grew stronger as the game wore on, displaying the depth and resilience that made them treble winners last season.
Substitute Lee Kang-in hit the post in the closing minutes before Achraf Hakimi’s cross found Ramos inside the box. The Portuguese forward made no mistake, firing past the goalkeeper to hand PSG a historic win. Remarkably, it was the first time any away side had scored a last-minute winner in European competition against Barcelona.
“I think we deserved the win,” Ramos said after the match. “We played better than them. We played our game. We want to win everything again. We’re not happy with just last season. We want more.”
The victory takes PSG to six points from two games, while Barcelona remain on three. For Enrique, it was a triumphant return against his former club, where he had enjoyed great success as a manager.
PSG’s ability to adapt without their first-choice front three highlights their strength in depth and tactical discipline. Both full-backs, Mendes and Hakimi, were instrumental in creating the goals, underlining Enrique’s philosophy of aggressive, high-energy play from wide areas.
Barcelona, meanwhile, will rue their missed opportunities. Despite an encouraging first half, their defensive frailties were once again exposed against top European opposition. Rashford and Yamal provided creativity, but the Catalans could not match PSG’s intensity late on.
For PSG, the victory was more than three points – it was a declaration. The reigning champions are determined to build on last year’s treble and confirm themselves once again as Europe’s most dominant force.