Paris Saint-Germain, the defending champions, walked into their Champions League match against Villarreal on Tuesday missing four of their absolute best players. But you know what? It didn’t matter one bit. PSG swept into a stunning 4-0 lead after a blistering 17 minutes, turning what should have been a tough road test at El Madrigal into an absolute mismatch.
Missing Stars? No Problem for PSG
Talk about a test of squad strength. PSG was without some massive names for this trip: Ousmane Dembélé, Marquinhos, and Nuno Mendes were all sidelined with thigh injuries. Plus, long-term absentee Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is still out recovering from a ruptured ACL. That’s a significant chunk of any team’s starting lineup, but these guys showed up and said, “next man up.” It was a clinic on how to cope when your depth is put to the test, and they passed with flying colors.
The Yellow Submarine Sank Fast
The goals that absolutely sunk Villarreal, famously nicknamed “the Yellow Submarine,” came in a mind-blowing eight-minute burst. It kicked off in the 9th minute when Joao Neves poked home a loose ball after the initial corner bounced around the box. Just three minutes later, Desire Doue added a second in the 12th. Then, before Villarreal could even catch their breath, Senny Mayulu scored a minute after that in the 13th. Fabian Ruiz slammed home the fourth goal in the 17th minute to cap off a truly wild start. What’s even crazier is that the last three of those goals? They all stemmed directly from Villarreal’s own mistakes, either trying to play out from the back or just getting straight-up dispossessed in their own half. It was dreadful defending, plain and simple, and PSG made them pay for every single slip-up.
This epic performance means PSG, who started this fourth round of games comfortably in first place in the standings, is now heading for what will be their tenth straight win across all competitions. That’s a serious run.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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