Tottenham Hotspur suffered their first Champions League loss of the season after twice moving ahead against defending champions Paris St-Germain, only to be overpowered during a frenetic spell at Parc des Princes.
Thomas Frank’s players delivered a markedly improved performance compared with the flat showing that drew severe criticism following the north London derby. Their promising hour of work, however, could not prevent PSG from turning the contest with a rapid surge of goals.
Richarlison opened the scoring with a close-range header after sustained pressure. Yet the advantage vanished seconds before halftime when Vitinha unleashed a rising drive beyond Guglielmo Vicario, shifting the momentum at a crucial moment.
Spurs responded immediately after the restart as Randal Kolo Muani scrambled in a finish against the club that owns his rights. But the home side responded with the force that marked their run through last season’s top European competition.
PSG’s surge proves decisive
Vitinha struck again from a distance, this time with his opposite foot, to level the match once more. Tottenham then wobbled under pressure, and a turnover by Pape Matar Sarr presented Fabian Ruiz with the opening to put PSG ahead for the first time just ahead of the hour.
Confusion inside the penalty area soon gifted Willian Pacho the chance to extend the margin, further undermining Spurs’ earlier promise. A crisp strike from Kolo Muani provided a glimmer of hope, only for it to fade almost instantly.
Vitinha completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Cristian Romero handled inside the box, sealing the champions’ victory and ending any realistic hope of a fightback.
PSG finished with ten men after Lucas Hernandez was dismissed in stoppage time for elbowing Xavi Simons, but by then the outcome was long settled.
Encouraging signs overshadowed by errors
Frank entered the tie under scrutiny for the passive approach used against Arsenal, and he shifted away from that setup by restoring a back four shielded by Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur. This adjustment initially rewarded Spurs with greater fluency and aggression.
His side pressed man-to-man off the ball and carried more purpose in attack, showing greater ambition in the opening phases than in the entire derby. For lengthy stretches, Tottenham held their own and even dictated moments of play.
However, lapses at key points undercut the positive elements of the performance. Losing concentration just before the break proved costly, while the turnover that led to Ruiz’s goal epitomized the defensive looseness that repeatedly undermined their chances.
Frank rotated his squad with Saturday’s home meeting against Fulham in mind, leaving Joao Palhinha, Mohammed Kudus, Destiny Udogie and Wilson Odobert on the bench alongside Simons. Despite lengthy encouragement, the night ended with Spurs slipping to 16th in the Champions League table, making the upcoming clash with Slavia Prague essential.