Tottenham Collapse After Bright Start as PSG Run Riot at the Parc des Princes
Tottenham Hotspur suffered their first Champions League loss of the season, despite twice taking the lead, as holders Paris Saint-Germain mounted a dramatic comeback in a pulsating clash at the Parc des Princes.
For the first hour, Thomas Frank’s side produced a performance far superior to the passive, timid display that drew heavy criticism after their north London derby defeat to Arsenal. But even that improvement wasn’t enough to withstand PSG’s relentless firepower.
Richarlison opened the scoring after 35 minutes, heading in from close range and giving Spurs a deserved advantage. However, PSG struck a crucial blow on the stroke of half-time when Vitinha unleashed a stunning right-footed strike that flew past Guglielmo Vicario to level the score.
Five minutes after the break, Randal Kolo Muani – facing his parent club – scrambled the ball home to restore Tottenham’s lead. But that goal only ignited PSG, who responded with the kind of irresistible, ruthless spell that dismantled Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in last season’s competition. They hit three goals in the space of 12 frantic minutes.
Vitinha produced another moment of brilliance, this time bending a left-foot finish into the corner to equalise again. Moments later, Spurs were undone when Pape Matar Sarr lost the ball and Fabian Ruiz punished the error to put PSG ahead for the first time.
Willian Pacho then capitalised on more defensive confusion to add PSG’s fourth.
Kolo Muani briefly revived Spurs’ hopes with a fierce strike after 72 minutes, but those hopes were short-lived. Four minutes later, Vitinha completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Cristian Romero handled inside the box.
PSG finished the match with 10 men when substitute Lucas Hernandez was shown a straight red card in stoppage time for elbowing Xavi Simons, but the damage had already been done.
Spurs Analysis: Encouraging Moments, Same Old Disappointment
Thomas Frank entered this daunting test against the reigning champions with his tactical approach under intense scrutiny after Spurs’ passive and overly cautious showing in the derby defeat to Arsenal.
To his credit, he responded decisively: abandoning the much-criticised five-man defence in favour of a more traditional back four, shielded by Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur.
For an hour, the change worked. Spurs matched PSG blow for blow and even led twice. But the defining moment came when they switched off just before half-time, allowing Vitinha to equalise with a spectacular strike that shifted the momentum.
Even after Kolo Muani restored their lead early in the second half, PSG simply overwhelmed them with the kind of momentum shift that has undone far more established sides in Europe.
Frank’s team selection also hinted at rotation ahead of Saturday’s crucial home match against Fulham, with Joao Palhinha, Mohammed Kudus, Destiny Udogie, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons all starting on the bench. Still, there were positives: Spurs pressed higher, defended man-to-man, and displayed more attacking intent in the opening minutes than they did across the entire derby.
Ultimately, however, the same issues resurfaced. Defensive lapses – most notably Sarr’s costly loss of possession leading to Fabian Ruiz’s goal – proved decisive and left Spurs chasing shadows during PSG’s dominant spell.
Tottenham now drop to 16th in the Champions League standings, making their next fixture against Slavia Prague a must-win if they hope to stay in contention.