Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique praised his team’s resilience after they rallied to beat Barcelona 2-1 in a Champions League league-phase match at the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday night.
Barcelona opened the scoring, but PSG equalised through a Nuno Mendes assist before Gonçalo Ramos struck in stoppage time to secure victory. The win gives PSG two wins from two matches, maintaining a perfect start to their campaign.
Enrique, a former Barcelona coach, described the contest as a high-level football spectacle and said the second-half performance justified the result. “Barcelona were better until their goal. We recovered well and were better in the second half. It’s a big win, always difficult against Barça, and important for confidence,” he said.
Mendes not only set up the equaliser but also nullified the threat of 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, while Achraf Hakimi provided the assist for Ramos’ decisive goal. The contributions of PSG’s full-backs proved pivotal in the comeback.
The result extended Barcelona’s run of three consecutive home defeats to PSG in the Champions League, adding to their exits in 2021 and 2024. It also marked the first time a team has beaten Barcelona in three straight European matches at home.
Despite the victory, Enrique cautioned against reading too much into the result. “This is just one result. Barça are still among the candidates to win the Champions League. They are a top-level side. This is just the start of the competition,” he said.
The defeat ended Barcelona’s six-match winning streak in all competitions. Coach Hansi Flick welcomed the return of Yamal from injury but his side failed to break down PSG’s defence after taking the early lead.
