A match as anticipated as it was feared. This Wednesday, January 22, 2025 live on Canal + from 9 p.m., two great teams played for survival in the UEFA Champions League. In a bad position in the competition, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City had to gain points at all costs to hope to continue in the round of 16. While only the first 24 teams will be able to hope to play in the play-offs, the two teams were in 26th and 24th place. The match was therefore decisive!
On the program: a fiery Parc des Princes, players under pressure and no gift in sight between the two friendly coaches Luis Enrique and Pep Guardiola. On the social network X, from the start of the evening, the composition of the teams was eagerly awaited by Internet users. And the one chosen by the Parisian coach, announced shortly before 9 p.m., was enough to surprise them.
If he decided to reinstate two strong elements, – Marquinhos, recovered from his adductor pain, and Hakimi left to rest during the last match against Lens -, Enrique also chose to leave some on the sidelines: thus, winger Ousmane Dembélé, despite having scored 6 goals in the last 5 matches, was among the substitutes at the start of the match. Among PSG supporters, for whom this composition was synonymous with predicted defeat, there was incomprehension.
An unexpected comeback and the birth of a new legend
The first half hour of the match was nevertheless convincing, with PSG dominating their opponent. The only downside: the yellow card for Nuno Mendes, who will therefore be suspended for the last day of the league phase, against Stuttgart. As well as the cancellation of Achraf Hakimi’s goal, because of the offside position of Nuno Mendes’ knee.
Video. Luis Enrique or Pep Guardiola: who is the craziest?
-But after half-time, the tide radically turned for PSG. The Parisian team conceded two goals, the first from Jack Grealish and the second from Erling Haaland, in the space of a few minutes. A big scare which, however, quickly subsided, when Dembelé in turn scored for Paris. Then it was up to his teammate Barcola to allow the French team to come back to score. Faced with this unexpected equalizer, the Parc des Princes was on fire. But Luis Enrique’s team did not stop there. Portuguese international João Neves scored a third goal, this time with a header, in the 78th minute. Then Ramos hit the nail on the head by imposing a painful 4-2 on Manchester City.
On X, this incredible comeback caused excitement among Internet users. For many, it was the best match played by PSG in a long time. The most enthusiastic even spoke of “the most beautiful match of [leur] vie”.
João Neves, who contributed to PSG’s victory with his headed goal, was named by many as “the man of the match”, “the child prodigy”, and “one of the best midfielders in land in the world. The 20-year-old player, who joined the selection last summer, has even already been raised to the rank of football “legend” by certain users of the social network.
Despite the jubilation in the stadium and on X, everything is not yet won for PSG. To give themselves every chance of qualifying for the round of 16, the team will have to secure at least a draw against Stuttgart on January 29.
