Gonçalo Ramos struck a 90th-minute winner as Paris Saint-Germain sealed a dramatic 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday, reinforcing the defending champions’ reputation as a team capable of triumph even when missing key stars.
Trailing 1-0 at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys and without injured forwards Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG showed resilience and depth, with 19-year-old Senny Mayulu leveling the score in the 38th minute before Ramos slid in the winner late in stoppage time following a precise Achraf Hakimi pass.
“It doesn’t matter which players wear our shirt,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said. “The attitude and effort are non-negotiable.”
Barcelona, meanwhile, saw their advantage slip despite taking an early lead.
Ferran Torres put the hosts ahead in the 19th minute, with Lamine Yamal available but largely quiet.
Robert Lewandowski remained on the bench.
While substitute Lee Kang-in hit the post late in the game, Barcelona could not hold the draw.
Barça coach Hansi Flick was candid in assessing his side’s performance. “PSG deserved the win. After 35 minutes, they took control. We didn’t show our best side, and fatigue showed in the second half,” Flick said. “With the score at 1-1, we needed better defensive structure. We have to train, improve, and take lessons from today.” He added, “We have to defend intelligently for 90 minutes, cover all spaces, and maintain structure. Today we fell short.”
PSG’s victory marks two wins from two in their early Champions League campaign and an early statement against one of their main rivals.
Barcelona will look to regroup ahead of their next European fixture at home against Olympiakos, while PSG travels to face Bayer Leverkusen.
Elsewhere in Europe, drama unfolded in the closing minutes across multiple fixtures.
Manchester City had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Monaco after Eric Dier converted a 90th-minute penalty, leaving Pep Guardiola frustrated.
“It isn’t good enough,” Erling Haaland said after scoring twice. “We have to try to win the next game. It is the only thing we can do.”
The Norwegian striker, already the quickest to reach 50 Champions League goals, sits on 52 after 50 appearances, on pace to challenge Lionel Messi’s record.
Villarreal and Juventus played out a tense 2-2 draw, with Renato Veiga – who spent last season on loan at Juve – scoring a late equalizer.
Napoli earned a 2-1 win over Sporting Lisbon, powered by Rasmus Hojlund’s two goals.
The 22-year-old striker has now scored three times in five appearances, demonstrating the form that prompted his $82 million move to Manchester United. Kevin De Bruyne provided the assist for both goals, underlining his enduring influence in European competition.
Arsenal maintained a perfect record with a 2-0 win over Olympiakos, marking their sixth clean sheet in nine games this season.
Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring in the first half, with Bukayo Saka sealing the result in stoppage time.
Qarabağ also preserved a flawless start, defeating Copenhagen 2-0 through goals from Abdellah Zoubir and Emmanuel Addai.
Newcastle’s record signing Nick Woltemade continued to impress in his third start, scoring his third goal in four games during a 4-0 rout of Union Saint-Gilloise.
His 17th-minute goal, deflecting Sandro Tonali’s shot past the goalkeeper, highlighted his positioning and instinct in the box.
Anthony Gordon added a brace from the penalty spot, and substitute Harvey Barnes completed the scoring.
Woltemade’s early form hints at his potential to fill the void left by Alexander Isak’s departure.
Borussia Dortmund dominated Athletic Bilbao 4-1, while Bayer Leverkusen was held 1-1 at home by PSV Eindhoven.
