PLAYER RATINGS | Sporting CP 2-1 PSG: Former Marseille striker Luis Suárez dents Parisiens’ hopes of directly qualifying for Champions League RO16 | OneFootball

UEFA Champions League, Matchday 7, 20/01/26

PSG have been toppled in Lisbon despite dominating large parts of the game whereas Sporting’s Luis Suarez clinically punished their wastefulness in both penalty boxes.

The Match

PSG head coach Luis Enrique opted to field youngster Senny Mayulu alongside Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha in the absence of João Neves. For the first time since QSI’s 2011 takeover of Les Parisiens, six French players started a Champions League game for the Ligue 1 side. PSG set the pace early on with a three-minute long passing sequence. Their high line and intense press pinned the hosts in their own half.

PSG’s sustained pressure seemed to have finally paid off when Warren Zaïre-Emery simply nodded it home from Fabian Ruiz’s cross, but Anthony Taylor was sent to the on-pitch monitor to review what was deemed a foul in the build-up from Senny Mayulu on Catamo. The impressive Nuno Mendes also found the back of the net at the far post, but his goal was logically chalked off for an Ousmane Dembélé foul on goalkeeper Rui Silva, Sporting’s busiest player.

The Ballon d’Or winner thought he had finally broken the deadlock before the hour mark in heading home Désiré Doué’s cross, but he was rightfully flagged offside. PSG’s frustrating search for a goal carried on, despite the introductions of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Gonçalo Ramos.

And in one of their rare forays forward in PSG’s half, Sporting pounced. After PSG failed to clear a corner kick, Catamo volleyed the ball, which allowed a deflection right into the path of the unmarked Luis Suarez. The former OM man kept his cool to slot it past Lucas Chevalier and send the home crowd into bedlam.

The celebrations were short-lived. Five minutes later, Kvaratskhelia silenced the ground with a thumping right-footed curler into Rui Silva’s top corner. But Sporting would get the last laugh. As the game crept into injury time, Trincao had enough time to take his chance on the edge of the penalty box. Lucas Chevalier got a hand on his effort, but the Frenchman directed the ball into the path of Suarez, whose header made his way home.

The Champions League winners conceded their second defeat of the continental campaign, after previously losing at home to FC Bayern. PSG remain fifth in the UCL standings, but their Top 8 berth is now in jeopardy. And Newcastle United are coming to Parc des Princes next week.

PSG player ratings

Lucas Chevalier – 4

Nuno Mendes – 6

For his return at José Alvalade Stadium, the Portuguese showed his formative side why he’s one of the best left-backs in the world. A marauding, fast and unassailable presence in the left channel.

Willian Pacho – 5

Marquinhos – 5

Warren Zaïre-Emery – 6

Vitinha – 6

Fabian Ruiz – 5

Senny Mayulu – 5

Bradley Barcola – 5

Ousmane Dembélé – 5

Désiré Doué – 6

The winger did lose possession many times, but out of the starting PSG strikers, he looked the more able to create differences.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval