PSG perfect as Paris kings run riot again
PSG produced another stunning Champions League display to put Bayern Munich to the sword in Paris.
The French giants followed their thumping 5-0 win over Celtic with an equally impressive performance that lays down a marker to the rest of Europe.
Dani Alves had the home side ahead in just 84 seconds thanks to Neymar’s mazy run down the left, cutting inside to set-up his countryman.
Edinson Cavani followed that up with a thumping effort, smashing home from outside the box to give the Ligue 1 side a commanding league at the break.
Bayern went close on a few occasions but some sublime play from Kylian Mbappe set-up Neymar for the killer third – to leave PSG with a perfect, stunning start in Group B.
The home crowd at the Parc des Princes barely had time to get comfortable before they were on their feet, hailing an extraordinary opener.
Much has been made of Neymar’s eye-watering, world-record fee but the £200million man’s touch and control as he breezed past the Bayern defence was priceless.
Cutting inside and drawing Munich’s experienced stoppers towards him, he created space for full-back Alves to run on and smash home between the legs of Sven Ulreich.
It shocked the visitors but Carlo Ancelotti’s side came close to a quick-fire leveller when sloppy defending allowed Thomas Muller to clip a snap-shot in to the side netting.
PSG keeper Alphonse Areola was then forced into a fantastic, flying save to deny Javi Martinez’s first-time drive from the edge of the box that looked destined to nestle in the top corner.
Bayern continued on the front foot, looking the better side, but they were caught by another sucker punch in 31 minutes.
Mbappe broke clear in behind the defence to collect a finely weighted through ball from Alves before teeing up Cavani on the edge of the box, the Uruguayan guiding the ball past Ulreich.
Bayern emerged after the break with renewed vigour and were unlucky not to have snatched one back in 50 minutes when Thiago Silva cleared Martinez’s header off the line from a corner.
PSG broke instantly with neat interplay between Mbappe and Neymar ending with the latter slicing a shot wide.
It was a huge let-off for the Germans but PSG had it wrapped up in the 63rd minute when Mbappe picked up the ball after a fine burst from Alves.
He saw his shot blocked by Martinez after a clever feint but Neymar was on hand to bag the rebound.
Arturo Vidal thought he’d pulled one back when he bundled in Robert Lewandowski’s knock-down but the linesman’s flag was up.