PLAYER RATINGS | Bayer Leverkusen 2-7 PSG: A night to forget for Aleix Garcia and Co. | OneFootball

Kasper Hjulmand’s Bayer Leverkusen faced the daunting task of welcoming reigning European Champions Paris Saint-Germain to the BayArena on Matchday three of this season’s Champions League.

The Dane made just one change from the team that eventually overcame Mainz at the weekend, with veteran Jonas Hofmann making way for on-loan Manchester City forward Claudio Echeverri.

The visitors struck first after only six minutes, as Willian Pacho rose unmarked to head home an inch-perfect cross from Nuno Mendes. The Ecuadorian found himself in acres of space on the edge of the six-yard box between Loïc Badé and Ezequiel Fernández.

After PSG dominated the opening quarter of an hour, Leverkusen gradually grew into the contest and earned a penalty when a determined run from Echeverri forced a handball from Ukrainian defender Illia Zabarnyi. Alex Grimaldo, however, could only strike the right-hand post from the spot.

The game took a serious turn for the worse for Leverkusen half an hour in, when Robert Andrich struck Désiré Doué with a needless elbow — a moment of madness from the German international. Facing the remaining 60 minutes with only ten men, Hjulmand switched to a back four, with Arthur taking Andrich’s place on the right.

However, there was yet another twist just minutes later, as Illia Zabarnyi was sent off for pulling down Christian Kofané while he was through on goal inside the box. Grimaldo handed penalty duties over to Aleix García, and the Spaniard made no mistake from the spot.

Unfortunately for Die Werkself, the Parisiens seriously turned up the heat after conceding the equaliser. A blistering seven-minute period from Luis Enrique’s side put them out of sight before half time.

The second goal came courtesy of a simple one-two between Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Frenchman found himself in enough space to turn inside the box and poke home. The Georgian forward deservedly got a goal of his own moments later, after an uncharacteristic error from Grimaldo gifted Kvaratskhelia a free shot from 16-yards. There was even time for one more before the break — Doué grabbing his second of the game with a sublime strike from outside the box, giving his side a 4-1 lead.

PSG came out in the second period just as they finished the first. Portuguese midfielder Vitinha made light work of dribbling through Leverkusen’s midfield before slipping in Mendes who calmly placed the ball past Flekken, who perhaps should have done better.

However, Hjulmand’s side, urged on by the home crowd, would not give up. Garcia scored his second with an absolute thunderbolt to reduce the deficit back to three.

If Enrique wasn’t already satisfied with his team’s performance, he had the trump card of bringing on the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembélé, after an injury layoff that had kept him out since August. It didn’t take long for the Frenchman to make his mark, firing in the visitors’ sixth goal beneath an outstretched Flekken.

With just seconds remaining in normal time, the competition’s reigning champions looked intent on rubbing salt into Leverkusen’s wounds. Vitinha, with a wonderstrike of his own, rounded off a quite simply remarkable game of football.

An off night for Leverkusen. Hjulmand’s side will go away, dust themselves down and aim to bounce back at the weekend when they host Freiburg in the Bundesliga.

Bayer Leverkusen 2-7 Paris Saint-Germain Player Ratings

Mark Flekken (4) – Robert Andrich (4), Loïc Badé (4), Edmond Tapsoba (4) – Arthur (5), Ezequiel Fernández (5), Aleix Garcia (6), Alex Grimaldo (4) – Claudio Echeverri (5), Ernest Poku (5), Christian Kofané (5)

Others: Ibrahim Maza (5), Jeanuël Belocian (5), Eliesse Ben Seghir (5), Jeremiah Mensah (-)

GGFN Player of the Match: Aleix Garcia (6)

Paris St. Germain taught Leverkusen a lesson tonight. You can’t be too harsh on Die Werkself however when Luis Enrique’s side are this good. Doué, Kvaratskhelia and Barcola were simply unstoppable, as they showed throughout last season’s competition.

There is only one player to have stood out tonight for Leverkusen however, Aleix Garcia took his penalty well and provided the stunner of a consolation goal.

GGFN | Harry Good