PSG surge back to shock Manchester City in UEFA Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain clawed back from two goals down at home to stun Manchester City 4-2 in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, leaving the English club outside the playoff places and in danger of elimination.

Goals from PSG's Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos turned the match on its head, after Man City had taken the game by the scruff of the neck.

Substitute Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland struck in the 50th and 53rd minutes, respectively, to give City a 2-0 lead. The fans who braved the torrential rain at the Parc de Princes, however, were treated to a brilliant comeback by the hosts.

Dembele latched on to a cross from Barcola to sweep home a goal in the 56th minute. Barcola leveled four minutes later, when he tucked in the rebound after Desire Doue's blistering shot came back off the crossbar.

The Parisians parked themselves in Manchester City's half and took the lead in the 78th minute, when the visiting side's back line struggled to clear Vitinha's free kick and left Neves free to head in at the back post, before Ramos added the fourth in stoppage time.

PSG climbed to 22nd in the table, while Man City, who hoisted the Champions League trophy in 2023 but have won just two of their seven group games this season, dropped to 25th, one spot below the playoff qualification places.

City's loss sets up a nerve-jangling finale when they host Belgian side Brugge on January 29. The top eight teams qualify automatically for the round of 16, while the sides finishing 9th to 24th compete in two-legged knockout playoffs, with spots in the last 16 up for grabs.

PSG were the better side for most of the game, and briefly celebrated what appeared to be a goal by Achraf Hakimi seconds before halftime, which was ruled out for offside.

Manchester City seemed to be continuing their revival, after weeks of poor results, when Grealish rifled in the rebound from Bernardo Silva's shot, and Haaland doubled the lead when Grealish's cross took a deflection to fall to the Norwegian, who hammered home from close range.

But the Parisians blitzed the English champions, who had squandered a three-goal lead against Feyenoord to settle for a 3-3 draw in November, and the French club will travel to Stuttgart for their final game of the league phase.