Paris Saint Germain (France) (Away) 26.11.2025

For the Champions League anthem, PSG came out looking like a bunch of nightclub bouncers in their silky black bomber jackets and when the teams lined up, the five changes to the Spurs team produced a 4-2-2-2 formation, which ended up being quite fluid, with players popping up in unexpected positions.  While the home side had the first shot of the match, from Ruiz that whistled a foot wide of Vicario’s right hand post, Spurs had a fair amount of time around the home penalty area, with Bergvall and Gray finding space into the left side of the box, but failing to pick out a ball across for Randal Kolo Muani in the middle.

Kvaratskhelia ended a long passing movement with a shot from just outside the box that went a yard wide of Vic’s left hand post, then in the 20th minute Zaire-Emery did well to reach a ball lifted into the box from Vitinha, but, although the defender got in behind Bergvall, he could only knock it high towards goal as he mis-hit his volley, with Vic beating him to it in the air before Cristian Romero cleared.

When Spurs moved the ball down the left wing, a neat back-heel from Lucas gave Archie Gray time to lift the ball to the far post for RKM to nod the ball back  cross the six-yard box, taking the goalkeeper out of the play as he was committed to going towards the ball.  A couple of yards out, Richarlison was more determined to get to the ball ahead of Marquinhos and nodded the ball into the net to finally finish one of the moves they had made.  This came after 13 passes and included an inventive drag back through his legs by Bergvall that left Mendes struggling.

From a short corner, a square ball from Ndjantou to Vitinha saw him hit it first time into the top left corner of Vicario’s goal that was a fine strike just a minute before half-time.  The timing of the goal changed things, as going into the interval level was a bit disappointing after leading in the match, although there wasn’t a lot that could be done about the PSG goal that was one of many worldies that have been scored against us in Europe.  With Bergvall picking up a dubious yellow in the second of two added minutes, it mean that he might have been restricted in his tackling in the second half.

A long Porro corner from the left picked out Richarlison, who won a great header back for Archie to lift a volley at goal.  Willian Pacho cleared it off the line with his head but it was crashed back past him by Randal on the volley with the ball going in off Marquinhos’ head.  It was a great start to the second half, all the players involved doing well to force the PSG defence into panic.

Three and a half minutes later, it was another Vitinha special that level the score, this time coming in from the right of the D to just inside the box to put his shot beyond  Vicario’s reach up to his right.  Within six minutes, PSG took the lead when Spurs tried to play out from the back, Romero playing the ball straight up the middle to Pape Matar Sarr, 25 yards out and he was robbed by Hernandez.  The ball ran to Neves, whose back-heel put Ruiz in and from just inside the box swept a low shot past Vicario’s dive to his right.  It was bad decision making, with Pape having nobody to lay the ball off to first time, so the pressure on him ended up with a turnover.

Things got worse in the 65th minute, as a left wing corner dropped in the box for Pacho to poke home from six yards out when Tottenham failed to get the ball away.
A minute later, Vic got down well to the foot of his right hand post to push out a low drive from Lee.  As fragile as PSG looked earlier, now the confidence of a two goal
lead gave the bravery to try flicks and tricks that typified their best form.

With 18 minutes remaining, Vitinha passed the ball straight to RKM 25 yards out and he moved into the area with the ball, took on Pacho and Marquinhos to his right, got a bounce off Pacho’s leg and then drilled a low shot across the keeper into the opposite side of the net.  It was a striker’s finish and one that hinted that perhaps Randal is now feeling a bit more settled in the team.

Just when it looked as though we were back in it, Vitinha’s shot in the 75th minute hit Romero’s raised arm as he slid in to try to block and even though it was at close range, it was always going to be a penalty.  Vitinha took it and sent the Spurs keeper the wrong way to make it 5-3 and to complete his hat-trick.

With eight minutes left, Porro had a shot that took a deflection and forced Chevalier to push it over the bar when it looked like it might creep in.  A couple of minutes later, Wilson Odobert, just on as a sub, took the ball into the box and went for a shot at the near post, but dragged it through a defenders legs but wide.  Only a crucial interception by Micky van de Ven cut out the ball as Dembele looked to slip it square into the path of Ramos.

Into added time, Xavi Simons looked to get onto a through ball which Hernandez looked favourite to win, which he did, but he threw an elbow back into the Dutchman’s face and it took a VAR to confirm what was the most obvious red card you are likely to see.  It displayed crass stupidity from the Paris defender with the game already won.

A last added minute Spurs corner was played long and when the keeper flapped at it, the ref gave a free-kick and there wasn’t time to restart the game before the match was brought to an end.

It was a much better performance in attacking terms, although the defensive work allowed PSG back into the match almost every time we went ahead.  Some of the  goals were not their fault, the third was when we got caught playing the ball out and the fourth was a little unfortunate, with the ball dropping just under Pape’s feet, meaning he couldn’t get it clear.  It would be disingenuous to suggest that everything has been solved, but there were signs of improved link up play and better movement off the ball (apart from Ruiz’s goal) that we need to be able to pull teams around and create attacking situations.

Another thing that needs to change is the home support getting behind the team.  It is no wonder there are better performances away from home when the majority of the travelling fans are positive about the side.  Not everyone, but the majority, whereas at home, it is as though many in the crowd are waiting to get on the team’s back.  This not only negatively affects the Spurs players, but inspires the opposition, who would be expecting a hard time, but know that it is our own team that is going to be on the end of it.  The support away from home is second to none and with that same backing at home, it might help things go better.

• Randal Kolo Muani scores his first Tottenham goal.
• Marquinhos plays his 500th match for Paris Saint Germain.