Champions League 2024: PSG v Girona; Goalkeeper blunder; Man ...
It took a huge blunder to gift Paris Saint-Germain victory in the first Champions League match of its post-galactico era.
PSG scraped a 1-0 home win over tournament newcomer Girona on Thursday morning (AEST) with a stoppage-time goal, which came when goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga let a left-wing cross from Nuno Mendes trickle under his hands and through his legs.
"It's a horrible moment for Girona's goalkeeper, it's a double-whammy," the match caller said on the broadcast.
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"Like a bar of soap. It was a gift from god for PSG but a 'keeper's nightmare."
For the first time in more than a decade, PSG began its Champions League campaign without at least one star player, known as a “galactico.”
But after the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi came and went without winning Europe's elite club competition, PSG started this campaign with a new identity based on more French players and greater teamwork.
Mendes took a shot hoping for the best. Stan
It was also PSG’s first Champions League game without Mbappé for seven years after France’s star joined Real Madrid, scoring for his new club on Tuesday.
Mbappé was reproached by his critics for not tracking back or closing down enough when he played up front for PSG.
Yet PSG coach Luis Enrique could he heard shouting when his players failed to close down properly and, at one point, Girona kept the ball for nearly three minutes with PSG's ball-watching players chasing aimlessly.
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“They defended well and we struggled to create clear-cut chances,” Enrique said.
Goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga let a left-wing cross from Nuno Mendes trickle under his hands and through his legs Stan
After 34 minutes, whistles could be heard from the crowd at a subdued Parc des Princes. Aside from half-chances from midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery and Marco Asensio, who went off injured late in the first half with an apparent hamstring injury, there was scant attacking play.
“All the teams have things to improve," Zaïre-Emery said. “We have new players coming into the team who need to settle in."
Yet this was even more the case for a Girona team that lost several key players from last season, including striker Artem Dovbyk, winger Savinho and right back Yan Couto.
Girona defender Ladislav Krejčí made a brilliant tackle on Ousmane Dembélé after the PSG attacker went clean through on goal in the first half.
But with moments left, Gazzaniga's howler spared PSG.
Gazzaniga's error gave the match away for the newcomers. Stan
“We didn’t play very well, and we have to say it," PSG midfielder Vitinha said. “We had trouble keeping the ball. You have to give Girona credit, but we need to look at what we didn’t do well.”
Just 13 goals were scored in six games one day after 28 were fired on Wednesday (AEST), including nine by Bayern Munich alone.
There was nothing to separate the champions of England and Italy, 15 months after Man City beat Inter 1-0 in Istanbul to lift the European Cup trophy for the first time.
Ilkay Gundogan wasted two late chances for manager Pep Guardiola's team, failing to convert two headed chances.
It was the first time City had failed to score at home in Europe's elite tournament since being held 0-0 by Sporting Lisbon in March 2022, and just the second time at home in all competitions since then. The other was a 0-0 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League in March.
Jack Grealish of Manchester City runs with the ball under pressure from Yann Aurel Bisseck. Getty
But the result saw City extend its six-year unbeaten home run in European games to 32, dating to a 2-1 loss to Lyon.
Borussia Dortmund needed late goals from substitutes Jamie Gittens, twice, and Serhou Guirassy with a stoppage-time penalty to win 3-0 at Club Brugge.
The new format has welcomed new faces and long-absent friends in European football's marquee competition.
Sparta Prague rose to the challenge of its first game for 19 years at this stage of the Champions League by beating Salzburg 3-0.
Celtic routed Slovan Bratislava 5-1 in Glasgow. Ireland internationals Liam Scales and Adam Idah, Japan forwards Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda, and Arne Engels of Belgium scored for the champion of Scotland.
A rare Friday (AEST) slate of Champions League games will see Barcelona go to Monaco, Atalanta host Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen visit Feyenoord.
Six games on each of three straight nights are launching the new format. Now, 36 teams each play eight different opponents through January and are ranked in a single league table to decide which teams advance to the knockout phase.
