Seven goals and a show of strength from PSG against Bayer 04
The French team crushed Bayer Leverkusen in a great collective performance.
Paris Saint-Germain returned to Germany with... memories of triumph and proved that its "hunger" for glory has not been satiated. On the same ground where last year it won the first Champions League in its history, Luis Enrique's team delivered another lesson in football superiority, crushing Bayer Leverkusen with a deafening 7-2 in the "BayArena".
The European champions appeared "ruthless" against a Bayer that seemed lost from the first minutes. Unable to withstand the suffocating pressure and the terrible passing game of the Parisians. And yet, everything seemed different until the 40th minute, with the game full of twists and turns and tension.
Paris opened the scoring in the 7th minute, after a wonderful partnership between Dembele and Pacho, with the latter finishing the phase. Leverkusen had the opportunity to respond, when they won a penalty in the 25th minute; but goalkeeper Chevalier fell correctly and blocked Grimaldo's shot. Things became even more difficult for the Germans when in the 33rd minute they were left with ten players after the expulsion of the newly acquired, Ukrainian central defender, Illia Zabarnyi . But four minutes later, luck smiled on them: another penalty, this time in their favor, with Alex Garcia scoring for 1-1 and temporarily giving hope.
From then on, however, the game turned into a monologue. In just eight minutes – from 41 to 49 minutes including injury time – Paris scored three goals, in an unprecedented outburst that paralyzed every defensive reaction of Bayer. Desire Doue in 41’, Georgian winger Kvaratskchellia in 44’ and again Doue in 45’+3’ raised the score to 4-1, putting an early end to any thought of a comeback. In the second half, the game evolved into a performance for a role. Leverkusen was also left with ten players, but could not stand either psychologically or tactically.
The French played as if they were training: quick substitutions, pressure everywhere, automation and offensive pluralism. Portuguese left-back Nuno Mendes scored the 5-1 in 50’. Dembele made it 5-1 in the 66th minute and Portuguese midfielder Vitinha, who was in high spirits again, added his name to the scorers' list and the 7-2 in the final (90') came more as... redemption for the hosts than as a final result.

Manos Staramopoulos
Journalist and Analyst of International Football and Affairs
Chief Editor English Zone of Discoveryfootball.com
Athens (Greece)












