'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Paris Saint-Germain avenged last season's Champions League defeat to Manchester City with a 2-0 victory at the Parc des Princes in their latest encounter.
Goals from Idrissa Gueye and Lionel Messi gave Paris Saint-Germain an important win in Group A as the Ligue 1 giants moved ahead of the reigning English champions in the table.
Statistically, Pep Guardiola's side were the more dominant in the game, keeping more possession, creating more chances and mustering more shots at goal. But they lacked the efficiency to make it count.
Just as they did in April, the Sky Blues found themselves 1-0 behind at the break after Gueye broke the deadlock with a sumptuous finish. But there was no comeback in the second-half this time.
Instead, Messi sealed the win for Paris Saint-Germain with a fine debut goal in the 74th minute, as PSG made amends for their opening day draw to Club Brugge.
Here are the hit and flop performers from the match:
Hit: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain)
Paris Saint-Germain's best player of the night and undoubtedly the player of the match too, Gianluigi Donnarumma was the single biggest reason why Manchester City couldn't find the back of the net despite mustering seven shots on target.
The 22-year-old delivered a goalkeeping masterclass. He read the game brilliantly to jump into crucial interventions and make a mammoth seven saves, including four from inside the box.
In what was his Champions League debut, Donnarumma was in inspired form, denying the likes of Sterling, De Bruyne and Mahrez/ The Algerian was kept out from 25 yards in stoppage time.
The former AC Milan custodian served another timely reminder of his exceptional qualities, producing a top-drawer performance that only reinforced why he's simply the best in the business.
Flop: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
It's no secret that Bernardo Silva has struggled to truly get going in the new season. But tonight was arguably his worst performance yet.
The Portuguese astonishingly missed an open goal in the first half, racing onto a rebound off the post from Sterling's initial effort and then shooting against the crossbar from barely five yards out with the goal gaping.
It was quite remarkable stuff from a player of Silva's ilk, who's become so used to putting them in. It merely set the tone for the rest of his evening, struggling to make any meaningful impact.
The second half in particular breezed past him, with one good cross for Mahrez late on being the only bright spot as Silva endured a difficult outing against Paris Saint-Germain.
Flop: Neymar (PSG)
Neymar is such an enigma. One day he's toying with our imagination with stellar displays and banging in top-notch goals, but looking absolutely uninterested in the next.
Against City, the Brazilian was more of the latter.
He sure drew a few manic reactions from the crowd with some tricks and flicks, but the end-product was severely lacking from his game. In fact, Neymar failed to muster a single shot on target.
All three of his attempts were woefully off the mark, including a brilliant chance he spurned in the first-half after racing in behind the City defense and then firing into the side-netting following poor ball-control.
There was a tense moment midway through the second-half when he appeared to pick up a knock after coming in contact with Rodri. But he recovered soon after to continue, only to offer no great shakes.
Flop: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Pep Guardiola took another gamble tonight by starting Raheem Sterling in an unfamiliar centre-forward role. But it backfired spectacularly as he failed to make any meaningful impact.
He missed a glorious chance early on in the match by directing his header on the post from close range. The ball then came off Donnarumma for Silva, only for the Portuguese to shoot it against the crossbar from just two yards out.
Sterling never found an opening like that again. Presnel Kimpembe did a fine job of marking the 26-year-old closely and severely negating his influence in the attack.
In 78 minutes of action, he only made 17 passes, completing 14, and making only two attempts at goal, neither of which were on target.
Hit: Lionel Messi (PSG)
If it wasn't for the goal, Messi wouldn't have made the cut here as he was silent for much of the game. But his strike, a first in PSG colors, was so good that it was enough for us to rate him as a 'hit'.
Collecting the ball on the right near the halfway line, the Argentine ace darted forward into space before laying off for Mbappe. The Frenchman then squared it back for Messi to unleash a fiery strike into the top bin.
There was so much power in the strike that Ederson was simply left stranded on his spot, watching helplessly as the ball thundered into the top right corner.
The world had been waiting for this moment for quite some time and Messi made sure it was totally worth it.
