Many wondered how Luis Enrique’s men would fare up front in the absence of Ballon d’Or contender Ousmane Dembélé, who reportedly injured a quadricep while playing for France on June 6.
Dembele has been PSG’s star of the season, scoring 33 goals in 49 games and 15 assists across all competitions. He helped the team win everything winnable this season, including Ligue 1 and the Champions League.
However, despite his absence, the French outfit looked threatening from the outset. The men in blue soon got their reward in the 19th minute of the game.
Midfielder Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring with a ferocious strike from outside the box.
PSG looked composed in midfield, enjoying the majority of possession. Atletico asked questions of the PSG defence but lacked the clinical edge.
The Parisians deservedly grabbed a second from a counterattack, with Vitinha making no mistake from close range before halftime.
The second half mirrored the first, as PSG continued their quest to extend the lead.
Atlético saw a Julián Álvarez goal ruled out before the 60th minute due to a foul in the build-up. Diego Simeone’s side was reduced to 10 men when Clément Lenglet received a second yellow card.
In the dying moments, PSG substitute Senny Mayulu scored the third goal in the 87th minute. There was still drama to come, as PSG were awarded a penalty in stoppage time after a handball in the box.
Substitute Kang-in Lee calmly converted from the spot to put the icing on the cake and cap off a dominant performance.
Speaking after the match, Luis Enrique was happy with his team’s performance but bemoaned the high temperature. He said:
“My feeling is that it was harder than the scoreboard suggests. It was very hot out there! We’re happy and we’re continuing our positive run. It was a very good match. The atmosphere? We really enjoyed it. It’s a very positive thing to have that feeling, to feel the support of the fans. We have to keep going. We have to improve and keep this momentum going. It’s a different competition, but a very attractive one.”
It was a statement win for the Parisians—one that clearly underlines their title credentials.
PSG will face Botafogo RG of Brazil in their second group game, while Atletico Madrid go into a must-win clash against the Seattle Sounders.
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