David Luiz became the first player to score against Barcelona this season as Paris Saint-Germain beat Luis Enrique’s side 3-2 in Paris.
The French Champions have not been beaten at home in the Champions League since 2004 and their record continued in a five-goal thriller.
PSG took the lead on 11 minutes and it was Luiz – a player linked with a move to Barcelona before he finally left Chelsea for Paris in the summer – who got the goal. Dani Alves was penalized for handball and Lucas Moura’s free-kick dropped to Luiz who swept it past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Looking every bit a rock star, David Luiz executes the perfect celebratory power slide after scoring the opener in Paris Saint-Germain’s win over Barcelona
Barcelona had made enquiries to sign Luiz in the past and made a more concerted effort to sign Marquinhos. They were facing both players and it was Luiz who had put paid to perfect defensive record.
Within a minute, however, the visitors were level.
The luminous yellow shirts charged forward and Messi and Andres Iniesta played a wall pass inside the area with the Argentine finishing past Salvatore Sirigu for his 68th Champions League goal.
Now only Real Madrid’s Raul has scored more and Messi had moved within three of the record. It was also Barcelona’s 500th goal in the European Cup.
Messi created Barca’s next real chance with a lofted pass that Neymar stretched to reach ahead of Sirigu – he got there first but failed to keep this shot down.
From so nearly taking the lead, Barcelona were soon behind again. Jordi Alba lost possession, PSG won a corner and from Thiago Motta’s kick Marco Verratti scored at the far post.
It a owed plenty to fine delivery, but even more to Ter Stegen wandering off his line and failing to claim the ball as it sailed over his head it, leaving the goal at Verratti’s mercy.
The old demons of not being able to defend set-pieces had undone Barcelona, with them conceding from a free-kick and a corner.
The game remained ridiculously open in what was left of the first half – something that suited Luiz. The Brazilian exists somewhere between total football and total chaos.
He had one run down the right wing, one run down the left wing, and there was some kamikaze defending, but he had scored one of the goals that sent his team down the tunnel leading 2-1 at half time.
