Bundesliga
Leverkusen well beaten by PSG
Bayer Leverkusen remain without a win in this season's UEFA Champions League league phase following a heavy home defeat to holders Paris Saint-Germain.
Bayer Leverkusen 2-7 Paris Saint-Germain
Goals: 0-1 Pacho 7' (assist: Nuno Mendes), 1-1 García 38' (assist: Kofane), 1-3 Doué 41' (assist: Kvaratskhelia), 1-3 Kvaratskhelia 44', 1-4 Doué 45'+3 (assist: Hakimi), 1-5 Nuno Mendes 55' (assist: Vitinha), 2-5 Garciá 54' (assist: Grimaldo) 2-6 Dembélé 66' (assist: Barcola), 2-7 Vitinha 90'
Sent off: Andrich 32', Zabarnyi 37'
Missed pen: Grimaldo 25'
Leverkusen went into the game in flying domestic form, but still searching for a first win in the 2025/26 Champions League after draws with PSV Eindhoven and Copenhagen.
Their prospects of flipping the trend weren't helped by an early goal from former Eintracht Frankfurt defender Willian Pacho, who headed in after Bayer failed to fully deal with a corner.
Claudio Echeverri won a penalty for a foul by Illia Zabarnyi as Leverkusen were presented with a chance to level from the spot, but Alejandro Grimaldo's effort came back off the woodwork.
The goal-frame denied PSG's Senny Mayulu soon after, before Robert Andrich received his marching orders after catching Désiré Doué with a stray elbow. Initially a caution, the card was upgraded to red upon VAR review.
In keeping with a mad-cap first half, Leverkusen levelled with 38 minutes gone. Zabarnyi, who was already on a yellow, was shown a straight red for bringing down Christian Kofane in the box, with Aleix García making no mistake from the ensuing penalty.
Parity was short-lived, though, as Doué scored twice either side of a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia strike, to leave Kasper Hjulmand's team with a mountain to climb in the second half.
Leverkusen shipped a fifth goal within five minutes of the restart as Nuno Mendes raced clear and beat Mark Flekken with a cute finish.
García gave the home fans a glimmer of hope with a thunderous long-range strike, but there was to be no great comeback.
Ex-Dortmund forward and recently-crowned Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembéle added a sixth PSG goal, before Vitinha got in on the act to puntuate a chastening night of continental football for Hjulmand's charges.
Die Werkself return to European action on 5 November, when they travel to Portugal to face Benfica.
Match stats
- Leverkusen were unbeaten in their last nine home European home games, before the PSG loss (W7, D2).
- The defeat ends Hjulmand's unbowed start at the Bayer helm (previously W4, D3).
- García scored the first brace of his senior career.
- Dembélé made 50 competitive appearances for Dortmund.
- Pacho did not score a single goal in 44 competitive outings in Frankfurt colours.
Teams
Leverkusen: Flekken - Badé, Andrich (c), Tapsoba - Arthur, Fernández (Mensah 81'), García, Grimaldo - Poku (Ben Seghir 63'), Echeverri (Maza 46')- Kofane (Belocian 52')Unused subs: Blaswich, Lomb, Izekor, CulbreathOut: Palacios (groin), Quansah (knee), Schick (hamstring), Tape (thigh), Tella (knee), Tillman (thigh), Vázquez (muscular)Coach: Kasper Hjulmand
PSG: Chevalier – Hakimi (c), Pacho, Zabarnyi, Mendes – Mayulu (Lee 63'), Vitinha, Zaïre-Emery (Ndjantou 76') – Kvaratskhelia (Dembélé 63'), Barcola (Mbaye 72'), Doué (Hernández 46')Unused subs: Safonov, Marin, Beraldo, Marquinhos, RamosOut: Ruiz (muscular)Coach: Luis Enrique
As it happened!
2 - 7(1 - 4)
Leverkusen
FINAL
Paris
90' +3
vs
Mensah shoots
The youngster gets high up the left flank and, isolated, he opts to go it alone, curling an effort towards the far corner. However, it's straight at Chevalier, who plucks it out the air.
90' +1
vs
Stoppage time
Three additional minutes are indicated.
90'
vs
Cherry on top
The ball pings around the edge of the Leverkusen box before dropping to Vitinha. The Portuguese midfielder strikes first-time, rifling the ball into the bottom left corner for PSG's seventh.
81'
vs
Mensah wins a corner
The 17-year-old immediately gets in amongst things, driving at the PSG backline and winning a corner. García takes, but Leverkusen don't manage to make anything of it.
81'
vs
Jeremiah Mensah
Ezequiel Fernández
80'
vs
Straight at Flekken
The young substitute Ndjantou looks to make an impact, cutting in off the left flank and hitting a powerful low effort. It bounces just in front of Flekken, forcing the Dutchman to spill it, but the keeper recovers to pounce on the loose ball.
76'
vs
Quentin Ndjantou
Warren Zaïre-Emery
75'
vs
Wayward
Hakimi plays a low cross to the edge of the box from the right flank. Mbaye dummies, leaving it for Dembélé, whose first-time effort is high and wide.
73'
vs
Barcola withdrawn
The only player of PSG's starting front three to leave the field without a goal is replaced by youngster Mbaye.
72'
vs
Ibrahim Mbaye
Bradley Barcola
66'
vs
Didn't take long for Dembélé!
The Frenchman had only been on the pitch for three minutes. Barcola is down the left flank. He bursts into the box and picks out Dembélé at the far post, who manages to put the ball between Flekken's legs for PSG's sixth.
64'
vs
Changes on both sides
Luis Enrique makes a double alteration as he brings on Lee and Ballon d'Or winner Dembélé for Mayulu and Kvaratskhelia. For Leverkusen, Ben Seghir replaces Poku.
63'
vs
Eliesse Ben Seghir
Ernest Poku
63'
vs
Ousmane Dembélé
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
63'
vs
Kang-in Lee
Senny Mayulu
61'
vs
Mayulu's shot blocked
Kvaratskhelia dances past two Leverkusen defenders before teeing up Mayulu on the edge of the box. The youngster hits a powerful effort, but it's blocked by Badé.
60'
vs
Nearly for Poku!
The youngster puts PSG goalkeeper Chevalier under pressure and very nearly wins the ball back off the French keeper. Poku would have had an open net there...
54'
vs
What a hit!
García gets his second of the evening with a stunning strike from range. He picks the ball up about 30 yards from goal and nonchalantly rifles it into the top right corner. Chevalier could go nowhere near it! However, given the scoreline, his celebration for such a strike is understandably muted.
51'
vs
Not far away
Kofane reads a sloppy aerial pass at the back from Leverkusen and manages to head it goalwards, his effort flashing narrowly wide of the post.
52'
vs
Jeanuël Belocian
Christian Kofane
50'
vs
Mendes makes it five!
It Leverkusen had expected PSG to take their foot off the gas in the second half, they were very much mistaken. Vitinha turns in midfield and powers up the pitch before slipping Mendes through, who beats Flekken at his near post.
46'
vs
Back underway!
PSG get the ball rolling again for the second half here. Both managers elect to make changes at half-time, with Kasper Hjulmand replacing Echeverri - who was on a yellow card - with Maza, and Luis Enrique bolstering his defensive options with Hernández, who replaces Doué.
46'
vs
Lucas Hernández
Désiré Doué
46'
vs
Ibrahim Maza
Claudio Echeverri
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45' +5
vs
Edmond Tapsoba
45' +3
vs
Doué makes it four!
PSG show their attacking quality again as they win the ball back in the middle of the park and instantly counterattack. Hakimi drives forward, playing it out left to Doué, who cuts inside and curls a precise finish into the far corner.
45'
vs
Stoppage time
Four additional minutes have been indicated.
44'
vs
Kvaratskhelia adds a quickfire second!
That one will sting Leverkusen as the Georgian gives PSG a two-goal cushion before the interval. He receives the ball out wide on the left, cuts inside, and shoots. His initial effort is blocked, but the ball drops right back to him, and he takes the rebound first-time, curling it into the top left corner. The ball clips off the inside of the post and past a helpless Flekken.
43'
vs
Echeverri booked
The youngster sees yellow for a late challenge on Kvaratskhelia.
42'
vs
Doué restores PSG's lead!
They didn't let Leverkusen's leveller knock their confidence for long. A clever Vitinha backheel kickstarts a slick PSG move. Doué plays a one-two out to the left from the edge of the box before picking it back up inside the penalty area, and slotting it past Flekken.
43'
vs
Claudio Echeverri
38'
vs
Lifeline for Leverkusen!
Crazy scenes at the BayArena! Minutes after going down to 10 men themselves, Zabarnyi - who was already on a yellow card - fouls Kofane inside his own box as the last defender and is shown a straight red card! This time, García steps up to take it, calmly opting to go the same side that Grimaldo went when he missed his earlier penalty, but this time, the Spaniard slots it home to equalise!
37'
vs
Illia Zabarnyi
34'
vs
Andrich dismissed!
Following a VAR check, the referee is advised to review Andrich's challenge. Leverkusen's captain is judged to have elbowed Doué in the face, and his card is upgraded from yellow to red. Leverkusen are down to 10 men and have seemingly moved to a back four, with Grimaldo slotting in at left-back.
34'
vs
Robert Andrich
30'
vs
Side netting!
Badé wins the ball back high up the pitch on the left flank. He slips it to Poku at the edge of the box, who opens his body up but shoots towards the near post, firing into the side netting at the near post.
29'
vs
Woodwork!
It's PSG's turn to hit the right post up the other end. After a slick passing move, Barcola chips a ball over Tapsoba for Mayulu, who takes a touch before smashing it at the near post, off of which it deflects behind for a goal-kick.
24'
vs
Illia Zabarnyi