Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola returned to the Etihad Stadium as Paris Saint-Germain delivered a masterclass to secure a 4-2 victory in the Champions League league stage. Guardiola watched from the stands alongside club chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano. Well, the announcement of you-know-what, the legendary Manchester City manager was back at the Etihad Stadium for the first time since his departure at the end of last season and. Sporting a flat cap, Guardiola took his seat in the stands behind the City chair, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, and the chief executive, Ferran “Not” Soriano, and, certainly, the TV director seemed intent on scrutinising him – if the number of cutaway shots to him were any guide. Everybody knows where Guardiola stands on the great City scandal; the numerous guilty verdicts handed down to them on the 100-plus charges they have faced for breaking the Premier League’s financial rules. He has backed his former employers to somehow disprove them. But what did he make of his old team here against the might of the defending European champions, Paris Saint-Germain. Not much in the first half would have been a reasonable conclusion.
Luis Enrique fielded a starting lineup featuring seven players nominated for the Ballon d’or, alongside three more among his substitutes. That immense quality showed immediately as PSG dominated the opening period with fluid passing and relentless movement. PSG played football from a higher plane and might have led by more than the three unanswered goals they scored.
The French side took the lead when Fabián Ruiz slipped a pass to Désiré Doué on the left flank, allowing the winger to cut inside and fire a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma. Just 75 seconds later, PSG struck again as Ousmane Dembélé met a cross from Doué to head home unmarked behind Marc Guéhi.
Achraf Hakimi caused continuous problems moving forward from right-back, hitting the post with a free header before Warren Zaïre-Emery provided a backheel assist for Vitinha to smash home a third goal before halftime.
Enzo Maresca responded with a triple substitution at the break, introducing Matheus Nunes, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Iliman Ndiaye. The tactical shift brought renewed energy, and Erling Haaland reduced the deficit by redirecting a whipped cross from Ndiaye into the far corner.
City pressed hard for a lifeline as Antoine Semenyo hit the crossbar, though the offside flag was raised. Any hopes of a miraculous comeback were effectively extinguished when Maghnes Akliouche restored a three-goal margin with a long-range strike that slipped through Donnarumma’s grasp.
Haaland added his second goal to give the scoreline a more respectable look, while Ferran Torres later missed a late penalty for PSG after his weak effort was comfortably gathered by Donnarumma.
