Paris Saint-Germain produced the performance of the Champions League season so far on Tuesday night — and paid for it with their three biggest names. Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and captain Marquinhos were all forced off injured during the holders' 4-2 win over Barcelona at the Parc des Princes, turning a statement victory into an anxious wait for scan results.
The warning signs came early. Dembele, the reigning Ballon d'Or winner, lasted just 20 minutes before pulling up with an apparent hamstring problem against his former club — a blow we covered as it happened in our report on Dembele's early exit. The France forward has been troubled by hamstring trouble before, missing more than a month early last season with a similar issue.
Two more stars lost in the same minute
If the first half was worrying, the 59th minute was alarming. As USA TODAY reported, Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos were both substituted in the same minute, each appearing to pull up with an injury concern. Kvaratskhelia, PSG's Georgian winger and one of the most destructive dribblers in Europe, had to be helped from the field by the club's medical team — never a sight a manager wants to see.
Marquinhos' loss cuts just as deep in a different way. The Brazilian is PSG's captain and defensive organiser, the man who holds a high line together against elite attacks. Losing him and Kvaratskhelia together, on top of Dembele, meant Luis Enrique finished the biggest game of the season so far without three of his automatic starters — and, as USA TODAY noted, three players who are all Ballon d'Or finalists this year.
A win that underlined PSG's depth
What makes Tuesday night remarkable is what happened next. Rather than fold, PSG went up a level. Lamine Yamal's stunning leveller at 2-2 might have broken a lesser side; instead Vitinha restored the lead within two minutes and Fabian Ruiz sealed a 4-2 win that ended Barcelona's 11-game winning start to the season.
Sports Mole's verdict captured it: the performance was even more impressive given the players PSG lost during the game, and the holders now look like favourites for a third straight European crown. Our full-time report on PSG 4-2 Barcelona tells the story of a Paris classic — Desire Doue's opener, the late double salvo and a result that leaves PSG perfect on nine points at the top of the league phase, having equalled a club record of 13 Champions League games unbeaten.
So what: Lyon, the Clasico shadow and a defining week
The cost will be counted in the days ahead. How long Dembele and Kvaratskhelia will be out remains to be seen, and Marquinhos' problem adds a defensive headache to an attacking one. PSG's next test is a domestic showdown with Lyon in Paris on Sunday — a fixture Enrique would have wanted his strongest side for, and one he may now have to navigate with a patched-up team.
There is a wider consequence too. Barcelona must recover in time for El Clasico against Real Madrid on Sunday, while PSG's rivals across Europe will be watching the medical bulletins closely: a holders' side missing Dembele's pace, Kvaratskhelia's chaos and Marquinhos' leadership is a very different proposition in the knockout rounds. The squad depth that won Tuesday's game — Doue, Vitinha and Fabian all decisive — will now be tested over weeks, not minutes.
Beyond the Final Whistle: This is the paradox of PSG's season in one night. They beat the form team in Europe 4-2 while losing three Ballon d'Or finalists to injury, which tells you both how deep this squad is and how fragile a treble defence can be. Titles are rarely lost in October, but they can be derailed in a treatment room — and if any of these three is out for months rather than weeks, Tuesday's classic will be remembered as the night the holders' season turned, one way or the other.
Can PSG cope if Dembele, Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos all face spells out? Let us know in the comments.
