Ferran Torres took just 31 minutes to open his account and never looked back, finishing with three goals as Paris Saint-Germain dismantled Slovan Bratislava 6-1 at Parc des Princes on matchday one of the UEFA Champions League. Ousmane Dembélé was equally destructive, netting twice inside 23 minutes and providing two assists before being taken off at the hour mark. The reigning champions, defending the title they won last season according to goal.com, sent an early message to the rest of the competition with 72 percent possession and 35 shots in total.
Key Moments
- 17′, Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring, finishing to give PSG an early lead at Parc des Princes.
- 22′, Slovan were forced into an early change, bringing Sahmkou Camara on for the injured Kenan Bajric.
- 23′, Dembélé struck again just six minutes after his first, doubling PSG’s advantage and putting the tie beyond any doubt.
- 31′, Ferran Torres added a third before half-time, converting an assist from Dembélé to make it 3-0.
- 47′, Torres grabbed his second goal two minutes into the second half, this time set up by Akliouche, extending the lead to 4-0.
- 57′, Torres completed his hat-trick from another Dembélé assist, with PSG now coasting at 5-0.
- 58′, Suleiman Camara pulled one back for Slovan, converting a Barseghyan assist to make it 5-1.
- 87′, Fabián Ruiz rounded off the scoring with a late goal to confirm the 6-1 final scoreline.
Tactical Breakdown
Luis Enrique’s side were ruthless from the first whistle. Playing in a 4-3-3, PSG controlled 72 percent of the ball and registered 35 shots, 14 of them on target. The front three of Torres, Dembélé and Akliouche gave Slovan’s backline no rest, with Dembélé in particular acting as both scorer and creator. He had two goals and two assists before Luis Enrique pulled him at the 64th minute, a measure of how little was left to do.
The match was effectively over at half-time, with PSG three goals to the good and Slovan already a man down in defensive organization after losing Kenan Bajric to injury in the 22nd minute. Luis Enrique took advantage of the comfortable scoreline to rotate heavily at the 64th minute, withdrawing Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Willian Pacho and Nuno Mendes simultaneously, giving Mika Godts, Senny Mayulu, Lucas Hernandez and Lucas Digne valuable minutes.
Slovan, managed by Yaya Touré, offered very little going forward. They managed only nine shots all game with four on target, and their goalkeeper Takac was busy enough with eight saves. The one bright moment came from Suleiman Camara’s goal at the 58th minute, but by then the damage was already done. Their defensive shape crumbled under PSG’s press, and 675 accurate passes from the home side exposed every gap Slovan tried to cover.
Player Ratings
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Verdict
PSG opened their title defense the only way reigning champions know how, with a statement. Ferran Torres and Ousmane Dembélé combined for five goals and four assists between them, and Luis Enrique had the luxury of rotating eight players in the second half. Slovan’s evening was one to forget quickly, but PSG will carry this kind of momentum and goal difference into the rest of the league stage.
Paris Saint Germain
Slovan Bratislava
Ferran Torres
Ousmane Dembélé