Paris Saint-Germain beat Manchester City 4-2 at the Etihad in the Champions League, scoring three times in the first 32 minutes. Erling Haaland’s second-half brace dragged City back into the contest, but Maghnes Akliouche’s goal restored the visitors’ three-goal cushion.
Manchester, England: The reigning European champions arrived at the Etihad and made it look easy for half an hour. Pep Guardiola, City’s former manager, watched from the stands as his old club fell three goals behind before the interval. By the time City found an answer, the contest had already slipped away from Enzo Maresca’s side.
Three goals in 32 minutes
PSG needed only 13 minutes to score. Désiré Doué opened the scoring, and two minutes later Ousmane Dembélé headed in at the back post after the pair combined. Vitinha made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute, finishing after Warren Zaïre-Emery flicked the ball on to him. Achraf Hakimi had already struck a post. City went in at half-time with a three-goal deficit and a game to rescue.
Haaland drags City back
Maresca made three changes at the interval and the contest opened up. Haaland pulled one back in the 53rd minute, heading in Iliman Ndiaye’s cross. For a spell, City looked capable of an escape. Then Akliouche restored PSG’s three-goal lead in the 62nd minute: his effort took a bounce off Gianluigi Donnarumma and spun into the net, a goal that left the City goalkeeper at the centre of the post-match debate.
Haaland scored again in the 75th minute, slotting home to make it 4-2, and City pressed hard for a third. They hit the woodwork twice, and Nuno Mendes cleared off his own line late on, but PSG held firm. City finished with 27 shots to PSG’s 15, yet PSG put more of theirs on target, 10 against 9.
Haaland’s numbers, City’s problem
Haaland’s two goals took his Champions League tally to 61 in 60 appearances, scant consolation on a night City conceded four at home. They had arrived in good heart after beating ten-man Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield on Sunday, and they remain top of the Premier League. Maresca said afterwards that his side had to be braver after the break, a verdict that fits the scoreline: City attacked freely only once the match was out of reach.
For PSG, it was a statement. They were drawn alongside Barcelona and City in the league phase, and a win away to the Premier League leaders showed that the holders have lost none of their edge.
Result: Manchester City 2, Paris Saint-Germain 4 (UEFA Champions League, league phase, matchday 2, Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Wednesday, 14 October 2026). Half-time: 0-3.
Scorers: Haaland 53′, 75′ (City); Doué 13′, Dembélé 15′, Vitinha 32′, Akliouche 62′ (PSG).
Shots (on target): City 27 (9), PSG 15 (10).
