Paris Saint-Germain only had one point more than Salzburg before this game and was therefore under pressure. Spanish coach Luis Enrique’s team left no doubt from the start that they wanted to leave the field as winners that evening and played a power play. Salzburg was at least more compact than Leverkusen (0:5) and was able to keep the game open for a long time in terms of results.

Goncalo Ramos scored after half an hour to take the long-overdue lead (30th), after the break Nuno Mendes (72nd) and Desire Doue (85th) increased the score to 15:3. Goalie Alexander Schlager prevented anything from getting worse, the offensive warrior was once again too harmless. So the “bulls” remain sitting on their three points. Promotion is only for the boldest optimists, as Real Madrid (away) and Atletico Madrid (home) await in January.

ZIB Flash with Champions League

PSG beat Salzburg 3-0 in the league phase (article starts at minute 2:34).

This means that the dismal autumn season for Salzburg, which brought a total of five defeats in six CL games, including three home defeats (including 0:4 against Brest and 0:2 against Zagreb), is not quite over yet. The supplementary game in the Bundesliga awaits on Saturday, when Austria Klagenfurt meets shortly before Christmas. Fifth, damage limitation is also on the agenda here.

Great moments seem eternal to her

“Tomorrow’s football” can still be read on the outside facade of the arena in Wals-Siezenheim; many fans would have preferred “yesterday’s football” this year. If the “bulls” have always been good at surprising people in recent years, they have often been taught a lesson. At least with the 3-1 win in Rotterdam, Salzburg were able to build on previous great moments that seem eternal to them. Most recently there was a 0:5 debacle in Leverkusen.

It’s good for Salzburg that Paris Saint-Germain under coach Enrique has given up its absolute superstars and players like Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe no longer play for the club, which is generously financed from Qatar. Meanwhile, Salzburg had good memories of France’s champions, because in 2011, also 13 years ago, Dusan Svento secured promotion to the Europa League round of 16 against PSG with a dream goal in injury time.

That was a long time ago too, Salzburg went into the game with a series of six CL home defeats in a row, but after the disastrous performance against the German champions things could only get better. Shortly afterwards, a new sports director was appointed, the German Rouven Schröder, who apparently gave the young team a run for their money, so that at least they got back on track in the league and achieved two useful results (4:0/Hartberg, 2: 2 /Rapid).

PSG power play

Against PSG, who only managed four points in their first CL games, the focus was on defensive behavior. Also because the Pole Kamil Piatkowski was injured and the right-back Amar Dedic had to help out in the center. Ousmane Dembele was suspended from PSG’s side, but Enrique was able to rely on sufficient quality with Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi and Fabian Ruiz.

After a difficult autumn season and despite low temperatures, at least 25,000 spectators came to the arena on a cold December evening. And they saw French guests taking charge from the start. PSG played a power play, Salzburg appeared a little more stable than in Leverkusen, when they were 3-0 down after half an hour.

A well-played striker prevented the goal from being conceded after ten minutes: Hakimi, who will be in the World Cup semi-finals with Morocco in 2022, took the shot and the Salzburg goalkeeper saved the shot as well as the following header from Ramos. Things continued in this vein, initially Salzburg forced PSG to shoot from distance. Kang-in Lee’s shot went wide (11th), Vitinha and Ruiz, like Bradley Barcola, failed in the solo.

Ramos scores in the third attempt

Salzburg hardly had any offensive activity and relief attacks were in short supply before the break. But one thing almost succeeded: after winning the ball, Nene quickly went deep, but he made a mistake (22′). Ramos did the same two minutes later, although Samson Baidoo still had his legs in the game.

In the third attempt it worked for the 23-year-old Portuguese. A cross from Barcola to the second post brought Hakimi in front of the goal and Ramos tipped the ball into the goal for a well-deserved lead (30′). In the end, PSG had 11:1 shots on goal in the 45 minutes, Barcola missed a good chance for another PSG goal.

PSG makes everything clear in the finish

Both teams came out of the locker room unchanged, and the image of the party did not change. The clever team from France had the game under control and continued to have a lot of possession. Salzburg couldn’t create a real chance to equalize, Nene at least had a shot on goal (63′), officially Salzburg’s second in the game. Later, substitute Lucas Hernandez provided Salzburg’s best chance with an almost own goal – that said a lot.

Coach Lijnders brought in fresh players with Adam Daghim, Bobby Clark and Stefan Bajcetic, but PSG let the ball and opponents run and waited for the time to finally make the decision. After 72 minutes the time had come: Barcola passed the ball from the left to Desire Doue, who fed Mendes, and the left-back hit the top right corner (72′). With that, the mass was finally read, and Doue himself increased in the finish after Hakimi’s preparatory work (85th). Schlager prevented something even worse against Barcola.

Voices about the game

Pepijn Lijnders (Salzburg coach): “We never found our game. They have a lot of quality. If we won the ball, we should have retained the ball better. You have to solve this better. For a good part of two we were more organized. It was a big bonus for us to get into the Champions League. But we are not satisfied with this CL season.”

Alexander Schlager (Salzburg goalkeeper): “You can’t deny anyone that they didn’t give their all.” Nevertheless, they were much, much better than us. All in all, you can’t lose more clearly. The way we’re performing at the moment means we don’t have much of a place in the Champions League, you have to be honest.”

Luis Enrique (PSG coach): “We played worse than against Atlético (1:2), but this time we won.” We can do even better. It wasn’t an easy game, even though we dominated. It was open until 0:2. It was a game with a lot of intensity. The third goal was pure art, it was a real work of art. You saw how you can be successful with good pressing.”

UEFA Champions League, league phase, sixth matchday

Tuesday:

Salzburg – PSG 0:3 (0:1)

Salzburg Stadium, 25,065, SR Oliver (ENG)

Goal sequence:
0:1 Ramos (30.)
0:2 Mendes (72.)
0:3 Doué (85th).

Salzburg: Schlager – Capaldo, Dedic, S. Baidoo, Guindo – Bidstrup (80./Kawamura), Gourna-Douath (66./Bajcetic) – Yeo (57./Clark), Gloukh (80./Terzic), Nene – Ratkov ( 57./Daghim)

PSG: Donnarumma – Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes (83rd/L. Hernandez) – Ruiz (72nd/Zaire-Emery), Vitinha, Neves – Lee, Ramos (66th/Doue), Barcola

Yellow cards: Guindo, Gourna-Douath, Capaldo or none