PLAYER RATINGS | PSG 1-0 Girona: Late own goal earns win in Champions League opener for hosts | OneFootball

Champions League 2024/25, Matchday 1, 18/09/2024 – Paris Saint-Germain v Girona (Parc des Princes)

Having mostly convinced in league action so far – four wins in four games – Paris Saint-Germain’s first test of the European campaign against Girona came at a time when the customary early-season optimism was at its apex.

Save for a few injury absences – notably that of Gianluigi Donnarumma, handing summer signing Matvey Safonov his debut, and the long-term absences of Gonçalo Ramos and Lucas Hernández – Luis Enrique appeared close to working out his first-choice starting eleven. Tuesday’s blunt showing at the Parc des Princes, though, showed that there is still work to be done for the Asturian.

An ambitious start for Catalans saw the early chances distributed fairly evenly. The hosts, though, came closest with a Zaïre-Emery effort from the edge of the box that whistled past the post, and a shot from a tight angle that makeshift frontman Marco Asensio also pulled wide.

Although weakened over the summer, on Tuesday night, Girona displayed much of the same ambition that saw them break into the upper echelons of the Spanish top flight last season. The visitors looked to build from the back at every opportunity, and one spell of first-half possession lasted an impressive two-and-a-half minutes.

Míchel’s men would continue to impress after the break. Viktor Tsygankov was almost presented with a close-range finish, as Stuani headed on a long ball into the box – only for a last-gasp Safonov intervention to swipe the ball away before it could reach his feet.

The hosts’ best chance of the first hour would fall to Ousmane Dembélé, who was played through on goal by Kolo Muani. Having been involved in 6 goals since the start of the campaign, the winger’s hitherto profligate finishing made a return in that very moment, as Ladislav Krejčí made the most of his dithering with a last-ditch tackle. The 27-year-old would nearly make amends minutes later, as Gazzaniga tipped his shot from wide onto the bar.

The eventual winner would come from an unlikely source, as Nuno Mendes’ hopeful last-minute cross pierced through Gazzaniga’s hands after being deflected by Alejandro Francés, and bobbled over the line. The own goal secured what would be a rather fortuitous fifth win in a row for Luis Enrique’s men – after an otherwise flat showing, which will inevitably raise questions regarding their forwards’ efficiency in front of goal. The Ligue 1 leaders have two weeks to get firing on all cylinders ahead of their trip to London.

PSG player ratings

Matvey Safonov, 6

Achraf Hakimi, 5

Marquinhos, 7 – The captain and his partner in central defence were the two standout players for PSG – as much an indictment of the hosts’ lack of attacking incision as an appraisal of their performances. A nevertheless solid showing from the Brazilian

Willian Pacho, 7

Nuno Mendes, 7

Warren Zaïre-Emery, 6 – The teenager was PSG’s most active midfielder – justifying Luis Enrique’s decision to play him over Neves – and was unsurprisingly the only one to last the full ninety minutes.

Vitinha, 5 – Replaced by Kang-in Lee on the hour mark.

Fabián Ruiz, 5 – Replaced by João Neves on the hour mark.

Ousmane Dembélé, 4 – Far from the form he had been showing since the start of the campaign, the former Barcelona man reverted to his usual wastefulness in the final third. PSG will hope that tonight’s performance was only a blip in an otherwise excellent season so far.

Marco Asensio, N/A – Replaced by Randal Kolo Muani before half time, after picking up what appeared to be a thigh injury.

Bradley Barcola, 4 – Replaced by Désiré Doué on the hour mark.

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin  – from the Parc des Princes