Liverpool come from two goals down to edge Villarreal, Foden hat-trick helps City thrash AEK Athens

Midfielder Pedri said before Barcelona’s clash with Paris St Germain that the game would show where his team stood in Europe.

Their 4-2 defeat on Tuesday suggested Hansi Flick’s side are not yet among the continent’s elite, but they may be closing the gap.

Barcelona arrived in Paris with a perfect record across all competitions this season, yet there was a feeling in Spain PSG would provide a truer measure of their credentials in the Uefa Champions League, the one major trophy that has eluded them under Flick.

Their attacking firepower has overwhelmed opponents in LaLiga, but doubts remain over whether Flick’s aggressive approach leaves Barcelona exposed against stronger European sides. Those concerns resurfaced when Désiré Doué opened the scoring in the 38th minute.

Barcelona had mitigating circumstances. Marc Bernal was a surprise starter in midfield instead of Rodri, while Eric Garcia and Jules Koundé were missing from the defence through injury.

Joan Garcia’s eight first-half saves underlined PSG’s greater comfort with the frantic tempo Barcelona sought to impose.

After another excellent Garcia save to open the second half, Barcelona clicked into gear and began to take control.

Xavi Espart, 19, marked his first Champions League start with the equaliser, displaying composure beyond his years.

Lamine Yamal also emerged as the focal point of Barcelona’s attack after a subdued first half. PSG struggled to live with his incisive passing and looked vulnerable as Barcelona enjoyed more of the ball until Lucas Hernandez’s set-piece goal in the 72nd minute.

Eventually, PSG delivered one too many blows and Barcelona’s resistance was broken. Their confidence remained intact though.

“Despite today’s result, we competed well,” said captain Raphinha on Movistar+, adding “it was a good test and shows that we can compete”.

Flick struck a similarly upbeat note.

“We need to analyse the match, but I saw some very good things and things that we should build upon. I don’t want to be negative; I’m feeling positive,” he said.

The German manager acknowledged PSG were the better side. However, Barcelona avoided some of the failings that undermined their previous two European campaigns under him, particularly indiscipline and vulnerability to counter-attacks.

A third successive defeat by Luis Enrique’s PSG will sting, but Barcelona return from Paris with reasons to believe they are moving closer to the European champions.

While PSG underlined their status as European champions on Tuesday night, Liverpool and Manchester City also claimed victories.

Doué, Lucas Hernandez, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz scored for PSG, with Xavi Espart and Lamine Yamal twice pulling Barcelona level in the second half.

Alexis Mac Allister scored twice as Liverpool fought back from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3 in a thrilling encounter at Anfield.

Phil Foden scored a hat-trick to lead Manchester City to a 5-1 win over AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium, with Elliot Anderson and Rayan Cherki also on the scoresheet as Erling Haaland was rested.

Barcelona arrived at the Parc des Princes with a perfect record across all competitions this season, but PSG proved more clinical in a breathless contest to hand the Catalans their first defeat of the campaign.

The relentless tempo took its toll, with PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos, along with Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, all forced off through injury.

PSG peppered the Barcelona goal in the opening five minutes, with Kvaratskhelia hitting the post, before the game settled into a rhythm.

The hosts gradually took control of midfield and went ahead after Yamal surrendered possession in his own half, allowing Doué to drive a fierce low shot into the corner.

Goalkeeper Joan Garcia produced several saves to keep Barcelona in the contest before Espart created and finished a superb move to equalise in the 55th minute.

Ferran Torres hit the post against his former club before Hernandez headed PSG in front from a corner in the 72nd, starting a burst of four goals in 14 minutes.

Lamine equalised again for Barcelona with a brilliant individual effort in the 79th, before Vitinha responded for PSG with a fine strike 109 seconds later.

As Flick’s side searched for an equaliser, Fabian Ruiz converted an Achraf Hakimi cross at the back post to seal the victory.

The result lifted PSG onto nine points and top of the Champions League standings, ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.

City comfortably dispatched AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium.

Anderson opened the scoring for the hosts in the 12th minute before Foden doubled the advantage in the 34th.

Athens pulled a goal back through Stavros Pilios in the 52nd, but Cherki restored City’s two-goal cushion five minutes later.

Foden added his second of the night in the 65th and completed his treble 11 minutes later to wrap up a dominant performance.

Haaland was an unused substitute as City gave their leading striker a rest amid a demanding fixture schedule.

Liverpool edged Spanish side Villarreal after a stirring comeback.

The visitors stunned the home crowd when Georges Mikautadze struck in the fourth minute before Sergi Cardona doubled Villarreal’s lead in the 29th.

Liverpool’s fightback started with two headers as Mac Allister pulled a goal back in the 36th minute before Ronald Araujo equalised in first-half stoppage time.

Mac Allister completed the turnaround with his second goal in the 65th, and Florian Wirtz hammered home a fourth in the 69th to cap a rampant spell for the hosts.

Tani Oluwaseyi pulled one back for Villarreal in the 87th, but Liverpool survived the late pressure to secure the points.

Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez levelled in the second half to earn them a 1-1 draw with VfB Stuttgart, who took the lead through Jamie Leweling before the break. Morten Hjulmand was sent off in the 64th minute, leaving Atletico with 10 men for the closing stages.

Napoli edged Bodo/Glimt 4-3 and PSV Eindhoven held off Porto for a 1-0 win, while AS Roma cruised to a 4-0 victory over Slovan Bratislava.

Earlier, Borussia Dortmund won 2-1 against Champions League debutants Sabah, while a 90th-minute equaliser from Pavel Kacor earned Slavia Prague a point in a 2-2 draw at Fenerbahçe.