He is still the king, in Paris as he had been in Barcelona. In the challenge of the stars, the brightest is always that of Lionel Messi. The Argentine champion swept away criticism and stomach ache on the eve, putting the signature on PSG 2-0 against Manchester City. An extraordinary goal his, with which the Argentine champion has swept away criticism and stomach ache of the eve. At the Parco dei Principi in Paris, the men of Pochettino and those of Guardiola gave life to a vibrant challenge, slipped more along the track of competitive tension than on that of individual games. Good debut for Gianluigi Donnarumma, in his first career appearance in the Champions League, who won the ballot on the eve with Keylor Navas: the goalkeeper of the European champion national team proved to be reactive on several occasions, blocking the door from the assaults of De Bruyne and companions.
Ready, go and it is immediately Paris advantage: in the fourth minute Gueye collects the ball in the center of the area after a scrum, starting a right that strikes Ederson. The reaction of the guests is there, and could materialize on the twenty-sixth, but the opportunity wasted by the Citizens is surreal: Sterling hits the header, incredibly imitated by Bernardo Silva who also prints the rebound on the wood, to Donnarumma beaten. The City accuses, but the PSG does not sink the blow: and then it is Donnarumma who has to intervene in various circumstances, showing great safety at the exit. In the second half the balance breaks Messi again, with his 121th goal in the top European competition (the first with the Parisians’ shirt): at minute 74, after a solitary ride, he triangulates with Mbappè and from outside the area he removes the canvases from the crossing of the Ederson gate. In the final applause also for Donnarumma, attentive to De Bruyne and Mahrez. But the biggest ovation is all for him: for that Argentine from Rosario who should have given the scepter to Mbappè and Neymar, but who, at the age of 34, continues to prove that he is the greatest of all.