PSG vs Atlético Madrid Review
Ángel Correa’s late winner in stoppage time shocked Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes, leading Atlético Madrid to a 2-1 victory and marking their first-ever win against the home team in head-to-head matchups. Knowing that a loss would complicate their chances of direct qualification for the knockout stage, PSG utilized their strong right flank to assert control over the match.
Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembélé both missed early chances but delivered several threatening crosses into the box, while Atlético’s right-back Javi Galán struggled to keep up. Despite PSG’s strong start, their first goal within 15 minutes came from a mistake, as Clément Lenglet held onto the ball too long and was dispossessed by Dembélé, who set up Warren Zaïre-Emery for a skillful chipped finish over Jan Oblak.
The visitors struggled to create chances in attack, but a rare offensive move led to the ball bouncing off Willian Pacho and falling to Nahuel Molina, who charged in and struck a left-footed volley into the far corner. This goal, which came just four minutes after PSG’s first, did little to diminish the Parisian team’s morale, although they were unable to regain the lead before halftime despite their overall control and ongoing threats from Dembélé.
After the break, it took some time for the game to pick up, but PSG was ready to counter as Diego Simeone pushed more players forward. Jan Oblak made a crucial save against Hakimi’s near-post shot and then deflected a curled effort from Bradley Barcola, as the pressure on the Atlético defense increased in the closing moments of the match. Oblak continued to make important saves, including one from captain Marquinhos, who headed the ball directly at him from close range while unmarked.
The constant attacks appeared to drain all of the hosts’ remaining energy, and even though they struggled to create chances in the second half, the visiting team managed to score a stunning winner. Antoine Griezmann sent a pass to substitute Correa, who skillfully turned and placed the ball into the far corner, despite Gianluigi Donnarumma’s attempts to stop it. PSG’s lack of aggression in front of goal was clearly a factor in their defeat, and having only three goals in four UCL matches is a significant reason why they find themselves in the bottom 12 at the halfway mark of the league phase.
