Atletico Madrid secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, with Angel Correa scoring a dramatic last-minute winner to ignite their Champions League campaign. The result leaves PSG in a precarious position as they sink to 25th place in the standings.
PSG took an early lead in the match through Warren Zaire-Emery’s 14th-minute goal, but Atletico quickly responded. Nahuel Molina leveled the score in the 18th minute after a deflected ball found him in the box. The two sides played out a tense battle, with PSG dominating possession but failing to convert their chances.
Despite having nearly 70% possession and 21 attempts on goal, PSG were unable to find a second goal. Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak was in top form, making crucial saves from Bradley Barcola, Marquinhos, and Achraf Hakimi in the second half to keep his team in the game.
With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Correa made his mark in the 93rd minute. Following a quick break, the ball was played to Correa, who calmly slotted it past PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the win.
This defeat marks PSG’s third consecutive loss in the Champions League, following setbacks against Benfica and Arsenal. With just four points from four matches, including three at home, PSG now face a daunting challenge to qualify for the knockout stages. Their upcoming fixtures include tough away games against Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
In contrast, Atletico, who were missing key defenders Jose Maria Gimenez and Robin Le Normand, will be pleased with the victory. This win brings them back into contention for the knockout stages after a difficult start to their campaign.
The match was also marked by a pre-game display by PSG fans in support of Palestinians in Gaza, with a large banner reading “War on the pitch but peace in the world” and featuring a Lebanese flag. UEFA may take action regarding the display, but PSG’s immediate concern will likely be their troubled European form.
PSG will need to improve their finishing to salvage their Champions League hopes, having now scored just three goals in their last six matches in the competition.
