Tag: Champions League

MADRID: Real Madrid and Champions League holders Manchester City shared a pulsating 3-3 draw in a rollercoaster quarter-final first leg on Tuesday at Santiago Bernabeu.

Bernardo Silva put City ahead with a low free-kick but Ruben Dias’ own goal and Rodrygo Goes helped Madrid dramatically and swiftly fight back.

Manchester City’s own quick-fire double in the second half through Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol stunned the record 14-time winners, but they snatched a draw through Fede Valverde’s scorching volley.

The thrilling match was played in the shadow of a threat by the Islamic State group to target every quarter-final first leg, with a heavy security presence around the Santiago Bernabeu.

Spanish officials said 2,000 police were to be deployed, but the match was played without incident off the field. On it, there was plenty under the closed stadium roof, which produced a thunderous atmosphere.

“I think it was a really good, entertaining game, (it) dignified this competition,” said Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola.

His Madrid counterpart Carlo Ancelotti agreed. “I said yesterday, with all the quality we see on the pitch, of course, it will be a fantastic game,” said the Italian.

“A lot of quality, two fantastic teams, I think the result was right, correct.”

Guardiola omitted influential playmaker Kevin De Bruyne after the Belgian said he was unwell shortly before the game.

The former Barcelona coach also chose Stefan Ortega in goal over the experienced Ederson, only just back from a thigh injury, while Gvardiol overcame a fitness doubt to start.

Ancelotti opted for defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni at centre-back over Nacho Fernandez and an early rash challenge from the Frenchman paved the way for City’s opener.

Tchouameni clumsily hacked down Jack Grealish after 33 seconds and was booked, meaning he will miss the second leg.

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From the free-kick Silva punished Madrid further, catching goalkeeper Andriy Lunin out at his near post with a low effort which skidded home.

Lunin was sluggish to react and although he got a hand to the ball he could not keep it out.

Ancelotti, coaching a record 200th Champions League match, claimed his team lacked courage and personality when they were crushed by City in last season’s semis, but they showed mental strength to quickly turn the game on its head.

This kind of feat is Madrid’s wont in the Champions League, and they produced two goals in two minutes, reminiscent of their stunning 2022 semi-final comeback against City thanks to Rodrygo’s brace.

Dias deflected the first into his own net as he tried to block Camavinga’s long-range piledriver, and Rodrygo slipped home the second after Vinicius Junior played him in, aided by another deflection, off Manuel Akanji.

A breathless first 45 minutes was followed by more of the same, in a tie increasingly dubbed a Champions League “Clasico”.

Rodri headed over for the visitors and Vinicius blasted over the top before City sprang their own comeback and extended their unbeaten run to 26 matches.

Foden pulled his team level with a superb strike, and arced into the top corner from the edge of the box.

The England international is enjoying his finest goalscoring campaign with this perfectly placed effort his 22nd across all competitions.

Foden was taken off hurt late on but Guardiola said the injury was just “a knock”.

With Antonio Rudiger shackling Erling Haaland, City got a goal from an unlikely source to lead five minutes later.

Gvardiol’s ferocious bending effort from distance left Lunin no chance and silenced the Bernabeu — but not for long.

Valverde’s brilliant volley from Vinicius’ cross zipped past Ortega to level the score and leave the game deliciously poised for the second leg on April 17.

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Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior on Thursday condemned racist chants aimed at him by Atletico Madrid fans before the midweek Champions League match against Inter Milan.

“I hope you have already thought about their punishment,” the Brazilian said on X, mentioning the official accounts of the Champions League and European football’s governing body UEFA.

In his message, the 23-year-old relays a video where Atletico supporters can be heard chanting racist abuse in front of the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid.

“It’s a sad reality that happens even during matches where I am not present,” Vinicius added in the same message.

Espero que vocês já tenham pensado na punição deles. @ChampionsLeague 👍🏿 @UEFA 👍🏿 é uma triste realidade que passa até nos jogos que eu não estou presente! https://t.co/IDHAkG9H6S

— Vini Jr. (@vinijr) March 14, 2024

The Brazilian international has faced racial abuse since he joined Real in 2018.

The Spanish football league told AFP that it was going to lodge a complaint for these “lamentable racist chants”, even if the incidents occurred during a European match, rather than at the league, and outside the stadium.

“La Liga is very committed to making football a hate-free space and will continue to relentlessly pursue any attitude of racism, homophobia, violence, hatred… whatever the competition,” it said.

Atletico Madrid beat Inter Milan on penalties to reach the Champions League quarter-finals after Memphis Depay’s late strike secured a 2-2 aggregate draw on Wednesday.

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Atletico Madrid bounced back from two goals down on aggregate against Inter Milan to reach the Champions League quarter-finals with a thrilling 3-2 penalty shoot-out triumph on Wednesday.

Trailing by a single goal after last month’s first leg, Atletico looked dead and buried when Federico Dimarco pushed home Inter’s opener at the Estadio Metropolitano.

But Antoine Griezmann immediately pulled the hosts level on the night and three minutes before the end of the regulation 90 minutes substitute Memphis Depay took the tie to extra time at 2-2 with a fine low finish.

That set up the decisive shoot-out which ended with Inter Milan missing three of their five penalties, star striker Lautaro Martinez handing passage to the last eight to Atletico when he booted his spot-kick way off target.

The two teams could barely have come into Wednesday’s Champions League match in more contrasting form as Inter had won 13 matches on the bounce since the start of 2024 while Atletico had won only one of their last five.

However, it was an even and exciting contest in the Spanish capital in which Atletico pushed hard for the win and both sides created a clutch of opportunities.

Home advantage turned out to be crucial for Atletico who have won 19 of their 21 fixtures at the Metropolitano in all competitions.

Atletico are also unbeaten in 17 knockout matches on home turf in the Champions League and in front of a passionate crowd they fought back from an impossible-looking position against runaway Serie A leaders Inter.

Depay smashed a powerful effort off the woodwork moments before his strike took the two teams to an additional 30 minutes while Rodrigo Riquelme wasted a glorious chance to snatch the tie for Atletico without the need for extra time.

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Inter meanwhile were left ruing two great chances on the break as Atletico pushed for their second, both Marcus Thuram and Nicolo Barella finishing poorly with chances to seal the tie.

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter now turn their attentions back to winning their 20th Serie A title while Atletico await Friday’s draw for the last eight in Nyon.

Inter, who wasted a series of opportunities to earn a bigger first-leg advantage, are 16 points clear of AC Milan with 10 league matches remaining.

It was a fast-paced encounter from the off as Atletico pushed immediately to level the tie with aggressive pressing.

Samuel Lino burst down the left flank and tested Yann Sommer in the fifth minute before his counterpart Denzel Dumfries forced a double save from Oblak.

Inter were dangerous on the break and it was with a quick-fire exchange of passes that the away side took the lead, Dimarco confidently netting the first time from Barella’s neat cut-back.

However, Inter’s celebrations were almost instantly cut short when Griezmann pounced after Koke’s through ball deflected off two Inter defenders, taking his club-record goal tally to 176.

Griezmann forced a decent stop from Sommer shortly after the break as Atletico again tried to pen Inter into their own area.

Thuram blasted over after being perfectly put through by Martinez, leaving Inzaghi raging on the sidelines, before Barella shot weakly at Oblak in a similarly good position.

Depay then struck and all the momentum that had been building went definitively in Atletico’s direction, eventually leading to a joyous shoot-out win.

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Barcelona survived a nervy second half to beat Napoli 3-1 on Tuesday and reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-2 on aggregate at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

Xavi Hernandez’s side came flying out of the blocks with goals from Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo but after Amir Rrahmani pulled one back, the Catalans started to sweat.

Italian champions Napoli, who salvaged a 1-1 draw in the last-16 first leg, were finally beaten when Robert Lewandowski swept home from close range.

It is the first time that five-time winners Barcelona have reached the last eight of the Champions League since 2020, and they did so without injured midfield trio Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong.

Xavi said he was leaving at the end of the season in January and his team have gone on a run of nine games without defeat after that decision.

Teenage stars Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi have been key to that form, and both excelled against Napoli on a night which offered some relief to Barcelona amid a bleak season.

Barcelona became the first team in the competition’s history to start two players 17 or under in a knock-out stage game.

Xavi demanded the fans turn their temporary Olympic Stadium home on the city’s Montjuic hill into a pressure cooker, and they duly obliged. Over 50,000 spectators marked the club’s largest attendance this season.

Francesco Calzona’s Napoli wilted as the Spanish champions came out of the blocks flying.

Electric 16-year-old winger Yamal made strong inroads down the right before the bright Lopez opened the scoring after 15 minutes.

Cancelo fed Raphinha who cut the ball back into the area for Lopez, who tucked home.

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While he may lack the metronomic precision of Pedri, the midfielder provides thrust and an insatiable desire to shoot.

Two minutes later the Catalans doubled their lead against the shellshocked visitors, with Yamal starting the move by breaking loose in his own half on the counter-attack.

The winger played in Raphinha and although the Brazilian hit the post Cancelo was running in to roll home the rebound.

Napoli battled their way back in when Matteo Politano slipped in down the right, with Ronald Araujo playing him onside.

The Italy winger crossed for Rrahmani who slotted home cleanly to pull Napoli back into the tie.

Napoli were almost level moments later but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a superb save, tipping over Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s header.

The Italians started the second half strongly, with Barcelona forced back into their own half, aimlessly clearing the ball.

Xavi took action by bringing on Sergi Roberto and Oriol Romeu for Lopez and Andreas Christensen, aiming to freshen up the midfield and give his team new impetus.

Raphinha and Lewandowski drew saves from Alex Meret before Yamal struck from close range, but he was offside.

Danish winger Jesper Lindstrom headed narrowly wide for Napoli before Lewandowski settled the tie after Ilkay Gundogan and Sergi Roberto combined to set him up.

Second-half jitters showed Barcelona are far from their former glory but in the dynamic Yamal, Raphinha and Cancelo they have the quality going forward to trouble any prospective quarter-final opponent.

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Real Madrid scraped through into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-1 second-leg draw against RB Leipzig on Wednesday, progressing 2-1 on aggregate.

The record 14-time champions were far below their best but did just enough over the two legs of the last-16 clash to edge out their Bundesliga opponents.

Despite RB Leipzig shading the game, Vinicius Junior opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 65th minute after being set up well by Jude Bellingham.

Willi Orban quickly levelled for the visitors but they could not find a second goal to force extra-time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team suffered and did not approach the game well mentally.

“We played badly, with little intensity, with worries … the psychological aspect conditioned our game a lot,” Ancelotti told.

“We played against an opponent with quality, who had nothing to lose, and we had the brakes on from start to finish — we suffered, but the important thing was to get to the quarter-finals.”

Ancelotti warned his players before the game they needed to be at their best to progress and showed his cautious side by playing four midfielders behind Bellingham and Vinicius.

The Italian brought Aurelien Tchouameni forward into defensive midfield, also deploying Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde and Toni Kroos, as he looked to protect the 1-0 first-leg lead.

However, Ancelotti’s gameplan stunted Madrid’s own attacking game without completely stifling Leipzig’s.

The German side had the better of the first half, albeit without carving out clear chances until just before the break.

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Andriy Lunin palmed away a strike from Xavi Simons, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, while Lois Openda rifled a shot into the side netting.

Ancelotti shifted back to a more typical set-up for the second half, introducing Rodrygo at half-time for Camavinga.

It opened up the game at both ends and Vinicius began to have more influence after a quiet first half — albeit not always for good. The Brazilian was booked for barging Orban in the back and then shoving the Leipzig captain.

Vinicius’ frustration quickly turned to joy though when Bellingham burst forward, showing superb timing to release the forward, who fired into the top corner at the end of a smart counter-attack.

Toni Kroos started the break and despite being outnumbered, Bellingham and Vinicius showed their decisive quality to send the hosts ahead.

Madrid’s delight was short-lived though, with Orban levelling just three minutes later.

The Hungarian defender’s excellent diving header from David Raum’s cross set up a gripping denouement.

Madrid striker Joselu, on as a substitute, sent a tame effort at Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi before Dani Olmo hit the woodwork.

The former Barcelona youth player’s lob dropped onto the crossbar and out of play as thousands of Madrid fans held their breath.

Europe’s most crowned side were taken to the wire on a nervy night by Marco Rose’s side, only founded in 2009, but steeled themselves and held on to progress.

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Barcelona midfielders Pedri and Frenkie de Jong are expected to miss the Champions League clash against Napoli after the Spanish club confirmed on Monday.

Dutch international De Jong suffered a right ankle sprain with Spaniard Pedri picking up a new injury to his right hamstring in Sunday’s goalless draw in La Liga clash against Athletic Bilbao.

Barcelona did not specify the duration of the pair’s absence, but they could be out for more than a month and miss the Champions League last 16-second leg clash against Napoli next week.

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The five-time European champions will host the current Italian champions on March 12 with the tie finely poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

De Jong was sidelined earlier this season with a right ankle injury, while Pedri has been plagued by right thigh problems with the latest being his third of the campaign.

Pedri is also expected to miss Spain’s international friendlies against Colombia in London on March 22 and Brazil at Santiago Bernabeu four days later.

“They are two very influential players in our game, two very important players. We will miss them,” said their coach Xavi Hernandez on Sunday, after the third-placed Catalans missed the chance to go second.

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Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday and failed to even secure the consolation of a Europa League spot as Bayern Munich won 1-0 at Old Trafford.

United were toothless as Harry Kane and his Bayern teammates only needed one penetrating move to create Kingsley Coman’s winning goal.

Manchester United finished bottom of Group A as FC Copenhagen took the second qualifying spot behind Bayern Munich following their 1-0 win over Galatasaray in front of a delirious Danish crowd.

The defeat is sure to heap more pressure on Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, but the damage to his side was done earlier in the season when they failed to win three of their four games against Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

“We didn’t lose the campaign today. We had some good performances and also we made mistakes and individual errors from players,” Ten Hag said.

“Today the performance was good, we didn’t deserve to lose but we lost the game. The players gave everything.”

Kane meanwhile said he believes Bayern can make a strong run as they seek a seventh European crown in his first season in Germany.

“We have the ability to go far in this competition,” the England captain said.

“We have to keep improving. I feel we have another level we can achieve. That is the ambition, to go and win the Champions League.”

In contrast to the gloom in Manchester, there was joy in the Danish capital as FC Copenhagen qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League for just the second time in their history.

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Lukas Lerager’s 58th-minute goal was enough to see off Galatasaray as the Danish side overcame the odds in a group few pundits had expected them to progress from.

“I think it is an extraordinary achievement that a Danish team can advance. The group was so strong and full of so many world stars,” Copenhagen coach Jacob Neestrup said.

Reigning Italian champions Napoli secured their place in the knockout phase by beating Sporting Braga 2-0 at home, with newly crowned African Player of the Year Victor Osimhen completing the job after Serdar Saatci’s own goal.

Napoli finished second behind Group C winners Real Madrid, who had already won the group even before they beat Union Berlin 3-2 in the German capital.

Kevin Volland put Union ahead, but Joselu scored twice for Real and although Alex Kral equalised, Dani Ceballos notched the winner for the 14-time European champions in the 89th minute.

Last year’s beaten finalists Inter Milan finished second after a goalless draw with Group D winners Real Sociedad.

In the early matches, a much-changed Arsenal were held 1-1 at Dutch league leaders PSV Eindhoven but still top Group B.

Eddie Nketiah fired a low shot into the corner to put Arsenal ahead, but Yorbe Vertessen curled in an equaliser.

Sevilla finished bottom of that group after Lens scored a late winner in a 2-1 victory in northern France.

It means the Spanish side won’t even have the chance to add to their seven Europa League titles, with Lens grabbing third place in the group and a Europa League place.

Benfica also secured a late ticket to the Europa League after they beat Salzburg 3-1 in Austria to clinch third place in Group D.

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Record 14-time winners Real Madrid swanned into the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday with a comfortable 3-0 win over Braga to maintain their 100 percent record.

Brahim Diaz, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes were on target for the Spanish giants, who sealed progress from Group C even without rested top goalscorer Jude Bellingham.

Brazilian wingers Vinicius and Rodrygo have been criticised for their lack of goals this season and both responded with classy finishes to help send their team through after Diaz opened the scoring.

Madrid have four wins from four games, leading the group on 12 points ahead of Napoli, second on seven after a 1-1 draw with bottom team Union Berlin.

Madrid have now reached the knock-out phase in 26 consecutive editions of the tournament.

“It tells me that Real Madrid have done better than others in this competition, because getting through the group is not always that simple,” coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters.

“We are very happy to reach the last 16, but it doesn’t mean we’re going to switch off in the last two games because for us, all Champions League games are there to show our best level in.”

Los Blancos goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga suffered an injury in the warm-up, with Andriy Lunin stepping in to replace him.

The Ukrainian was immediately called into action, diving to his right to palm away Alvaro Djalo’s penalty in the sixth minute.

Lucas Vazquez had pulled Cristian Borja down in the area, but the Portuguese side could not take advantage from the spot.

At the other end Diaz had a goal ruled out for a foul by Vinicius, but the former Manchester City midfielder did not have to wait too long for another, this time valid.

Sent through on the left side of the area, Rodrygo cut the ball back to Diaz who fired into the roof of the net from close range to break the deadlock.

The 24-year-old broke out into sarcastic celebration, drawing a VAR screen as if to dare the officials to try and disallow this strike.

Diaz, operating in Bellingham’s usual attacking midfield role, did well on a rare start and was involved in most of Madrid’s forward moves.

Bellingham, who has netted 13 times in 14 games since his summer switch, watched on from the bench as Ancelotti let him recover from a shoulder problem he suffered in the Rayo draw.

Diaz should have struck again but was denied by a superb double save from Benfica goalkeeper Matheus early in the second half.

“I’m doing my thing and showing that I can perform, and help the coach,” Diaz told reporters.

“There are very good players here but I’m showing that I can handle more minutes — bit by bit, everything comes.”

Vinicius netted the second before the hour mark, with some clever movement and footwork in the box and then a smooth low finish.

It was his fourth goal of the season across all competitions in 12 games, low by his own standards, but Ancelotti has predicted he and Rodrygo will outscore Bellingham by the end of the campaign.

Rodrygo netted Madrid’s third with an exquisite chipped finish after his compatriot Vinicius played him in, and embraced Ancelotti on the sideline in celebration.

The coach had advocated patience for his dynamic duo up front and both paid him back with goals that delighted the Santiago Bernabeu.

“(The hug) was to thank him,” Rodrygo explained. “We have to judge people when we’re not in a good moment, then you see who they really are.

“I wasn’t in a good moment, the coach was always with me, always supporting me, saying good things — I was obliged to score and to go and thank him.”

Lunin thwarted former Barcelona striker Abel Ruiz in stoppage time with an excellent save to keep out his header and preserve Madrid’s clean sheet, ensuring it was a near-perfect night at both ends.

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Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata struck twice each as Atletico Madrid hammered ragged 10-man Celtic 6-0 on Tuesday to move top of their Champions League group.

Diego Simeone’s side took an early lead through Griezmann but were struggling until Celtic forward Daizen Maeda was dismissed midway through the first half for a high foot.

Morata added a second before the break and Atletico Madrid racked up the goals in the second half, with both forwards netting again and Samuel Lino and Saul Niguez also on target.

Atletico’s emphatic win leaves them with eight points, one ahead of Lazio, second, and two ahead of former group leaders Feyenoord, while Celtic are last with only one.

“The team didn’t lower its rhythm of play, they were always looking for more,” a pleased Simeone told Movistar.

“It’s a crunch moment for everyone (in the group), it will be tricky until the end.”

The Atletico Madrid coach lavished praise on key player Griezmann, who is enjoying one of the best spells of his career.

Griezmann controversially left Atletico for Barcelona in 2019 but returned on loan in 2021 before signing permanently once more.

“When some didn’t agree with his return, I was convinced that he was born to play at Atletico Madrid,” Simeone told reporters.

“He turned this situation around … I’m lucky to have a player like Griezmann.

“I have no doubt that with what he’s got left to go at Atletico, he will be one of the team’s best ever players.”

Atletico bounced back strongly from a disappointing defeat at La Liga minnows Las Palmas on Friday to leave Brendan Rodgers’ side on the brink of elimination and record their 16th consecutive home victory across all competitions.

Griezmann struck in the sixth minute, his low effort skidding home with the aid of a deflection off Cameron Carter-Vickers, after Celtic gave him too much time and space on the edge of the box.

Celtic winger Luis Palma showed flashes at the other end as his team dominated the ball in the opening 20 minutes.

However, the game changed drastically when Japanese international Maeda was sent off for a high foot on Mario Hermoso.

Although the referee initially gave a yellow card, Maeda was dismissed after VAR intervention — Celtic’s third red card of the competition.

“It’s hard enough at this level with 11 men, that’s two games we’ve had players sent off,” Celtic captain Callum McGregor told TNT Sports.

“(It was) a humbling experience for us.”

After that it was one-way traffic at the Metropolitano, although Jan Oblak tipped away an accidental Morata miskick, heading towards his own goal.

Atletico doubled their lead just before the break when he headed home after a classy team move, with Griezmann finding Jose Gimenez, who nodded the ball back for Morata.

Joe Hart denied Angel Correa and Gimenez hit the bar with a header as Atletico pushed for the third, which came via an acrobatic finish from Griezmann.

The French forward, who was surprisingly withdrawn against Las Palmas with Atletico losing, went off early again, this time to a standing ovation.

Lino added a superb fourth, cutting in from the left and arcing an effort across Hart and into the net, before Correa struck the post.

Atletico Madrid’s fifth followed when Morata lashed home his fifth Champions League goal of the season from the edge of the box, giving the despairing Hart no chance.

Saul got in on the act in the final stages, stabbing home from close range after Lino’s attempted strike fell into his path to round off Atletico’s sizeable triumph.

“Their red card gave us an advantage, but we have to continue like this,” Griezmann told Movistar.

“Respecting our opponent, we tried to play as well as possible and not do silly things like try nutmegs.”

The French forward, operating in an attacking midfield role against Celtic, said he was open to playing there if the coach wanted him to.

“I’m learning by watching a lot of football on television — whatever it takes for the club and for Cholo (Simeone),” added Griezmann.

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Kylian Mbappe, Randal Kolo Muani and Lee Kang-in were all on target as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) got back to winning ways in the Champions League with an impressive 3-0 home victory against AC Milan on Wednesday.

PSG were eager to bounce back from their 4-1 defeat away to Newcastle United three weeks ago and they ultimately had too much attacking quality for their Italian visitors at the Parc des Princes.

Mbappe opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark with his 10th club goal this season, and his France teammate Kolo Muani added another shortly after half-time.

Lee then came off the bench to net the third late on, the South Korean star’s first for the club.

PSG thoroughly deserved their win, with the Ligue 1 side a different proposition from the disjointed team that was overloaded with forwards and overrun in midfield against Newcastle.

“We are very proud of our performance,” Kolo Muani told broadcaster Canal Plus.

“Winning these games gives everyone confidence and we need to carry on this way.”

Having started their European campaign with a 2-0 home win against Borussia Dortmund, PSG top Group F with six points ahead of a trip to Milan next.

The seven-time European champions are bottom of the section with two points and a big concern for Stefano Pioli’s side will be that they have yet to score in the group.

“Obviously we are not in a good position,” Pioli admitted.

“I was hoping Newcastle wouldn’t beat Dortmund because that would help us but we can’t just hope for other results to go our way.”

This game saw French international brothers Lucas Hernandez, the PSG defender, and Theo, the Milan captain, come up against each other.

It also saw PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his Milan counterpart Mike Maignan face the clubs with whom they started their careers.

But the stars of the show were elsewhere, with Mbappe –- who was hugged by a pitch invader in the first half — looking arguably sharper than he has done at any point up to now this season for PSG.

Meanwhile, the 17-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery was exceptional in PSG’s midfield and his performance will not have gone unnoticed by France coach Didier Deschamps, who was watching from the stands.

“I am very pleased to be the man of the match, but it is a team effort first and foremost,” Zaire-Emery told Canal Plus.

“He does everything well, defensively and in attack. He is aggressive, good technically, has good vision, can score and set up goals,” said coach Luis Enrique.

“He is the perfect example for all young kids who want to be footballers and want to get to the highest level.”

Zaire-Emery made the opening goal in the 32nd minute when he collected possession in midfield, burst away from Tijjani Reijnders and found Mbappe, who advanced into the box before beating Maignan with an early, low shot into the corner.

That was a blow to Milan, who had started well and upset the Paris defence with their high pressing.

It was not just Zaire-Emery who impressed in the home midfield, with Vitinha continuing his fine form this season in a position close to Mbappe on the left.

Meanwhile Manuel Ugarte is the man who holds it all together, but his physical approach denied PSG a second goal three minutes after half-time.

Ousmane Dembele thought he had scored his first goal for the Qatar-owned club since signing from Barcelona in the close season, as he ran through to plant a low shot beyond Maignan.

However, Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic disallowed the goal following a VAR review for a foul by Ugarte on Yunus Musah in the build-up.

PSG didn’t have to wait long to make it 2-0 though, as Kolo Muani turned the ball into an empty net in the 53rd minute after Maignan had pushed out a Dembele shot.

Milan tried unsuccessfully to find a way back into the game, while Maignan intervened more than once to stop Mbappe from scoring again, notably touching a shot onto the outside of the post.

But the home side made it three in the 89th minute as Zaire-Emery powered down the right and set up Lee to score with a first-time strike.

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