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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) were held to a 1-1 draw by Benfica in their Champions League clash on Wednesday, October 5, at the Estadio da Luz. Reacting to the result, midfielder Vitinha expressed disappointment, claiming his side deserved to go home with a better outcome.
PSG looked the better side in the opening stages and were soon rewarded as Lionel Messi drew first blood in the 22nd minute following a brilliant combination between Neymar and Mbappe. The Brazilian eventually got the assist.
However, Benfica found their way back, restoring parity via a Danilo Pereira own goal in the 41st minute. The Parisians pushed hard for a winner in the second half but a resilient defensive effort from the hosts ensured that the spoils were shared.
Speaking after the game, Vitinha couldn't hide his disappointment. He backed his side to come out on top when the two clubs clash again next week on Tuesday.
“[The result] is below expectations," the Portuguese told RMC Sport. "Benfica’s quality is not a surprise, they’re a lot better than last year. But we were expecting to go back with a different result, instead we’re returning with a draw.
"We have a match in Paris [next Tuesday] and we’ll do everything to show that we should have won the match tonight.
“The best would be to add the win. I know that I’m giving my answers on the pitch. I’ve been working hard but there’s no point in playing well if we don’t win. We wanted the win.”
The result means that the French giants' 100% start to the Champions League this season has come to an end. The race to finish atop Group H has now been left open, with PSG and Benfica now level on seven points.
What's next for PSG?
After failing to beat Benfica in the Champions League, the Parisians will be looking to return to winning ways. They're scheduled to take on Reims in an away Ligue 1 fixture on Saturday, October 8.
Christophe Galtier's men will then play their second group-stage match against Benfica on Tuesday before facing Olympique Marseille on October 16. It remains to be seen how they'll perform in the upcoming encounters.
