PSG hit seven to set up Champions League clash with Liverpool or Barcelona

PSG were always overwhelming favourites to beat Brest and effectively killed off the tie with a 3-0 win in Brittany in the first leg last week. There were seven different goal-scorers in the return at the Parc des Princes, with Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Desire Doue, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Ramos and Senny Mayulu netting for the home side.

It is PSG's record winning margin in a European game and the first time they have scored seven in the Champions League since they trounced Celtic 7-1 in November 2017.

PSG scored just three goals in their first five Champions League matches this season, but have found the net 21 times in five outings since then. Their dominant display here came despite Ousmane Dembele failing to add to the 18 goals he had netted in his previous 12 appearances for Luis Enrique's side.

It was an agonising way for Brest to end their first-ever European campaign after they made it to the knockout stages following a historic third-place finish in Ligue 1 last season.

 

February 19, 2025

Being drawn against PSG was an anti-climax for Brest. They have not beaten the Parisians in 40 years and have now lost 19 of the last 20 meetings of the club. Brest did almost take the lead early on as a Mathias Pereira Lage shot was blocked in front of the line by Marquinhos, before PSG struck in the 20th minute.

Barcola, on the left, controlled a Fabian Ruiz ball over the top before beating goalkeeper Gregoire Coudert at the near post for his 16th goal of the season. Kvaratskhelia made it 2-0 six minutes before the break, turning in his second goal for his new club after Barcola had flicked on a low Joao Neves cross.

Neves smashed a shot against the crossbar in first-half stoppage time and Pierre Lees-Melou then hit the post for Brest early in the second half. However, a lovely strike from the edge of the area by Vitinha made it 3-0 just before the hour mark, and Ramos then produced a delightful piece of skill to tee up fellow substitute Doue for the fourth.

Achraf Hakimi set up Mendes to tap in the fifth midway through the second half and Ramos made it six from close range on 76 minutes with his ninth goal of the campaign. Abdallah Sima had a goal for Brest disallowed for offside before Kvaratskhelia teed up 18-year-old Mayulu to round out the scoring on 86 minutes.

PSG will find out the identity of their next opponents when the draw for the remainder of the competition is made on Friday.

 

February 19, 2025