Paris Saint-Germain produced a display of sustained attacking brilliance to overwhelm Barcelona at the Parc des Princes as the Champions League round of 16 kicked off on Tuesday.
Ángel Di María, who was celebrating his 29th birthday, scored two fine goals, with Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani each contributing memorable strikes of their own to make it 4-0.
Paris started at speed, harrying their opponents and pushing them back towards their own goal with Cavani and Blaise Matuidi going close early on.
The breakthrough did come in the 18th minute, Di María curling a sumptuous left-foot free-kick beyond Marc-André ter Stegen from 20 metres.
Although Paris goalkeeper Kevin Trapp had to save from André Gomes, it was 2-0 just before the interval as Marco Verratti’s run and pass set up the increasingly prominent Draxler for an unerring finish.
Ten minutes after half-time, it was three. Paris won the ball back on the edge of their own area and, via some slick one-touch passing, worked it to Di María on the right, who exploited the time and space afforded to him with a beautiful curling shot beyond Ter Stegen.
With Barcelona unable to make an impression, Paris looked dangerous every time they came forward – and they made it four 18 minutes from time.
Thomas Meunier was allowed to advance from right-back and slipped a pass through for Cavani, who beat Ter Stegen at the near post.
That left Barça facing their joint worst European defeat, and Samuel Umtiti’s late header that came back off the post summed up their evening.
Luis Enrique’s side has an almighty task to stay in the competition when they host PSG in the return leg on 8 March.
No side has managed to overturn a four-goal first-leg deficit in the history of the Champions League.
In the day’s other game, Borussia Dortmund were left to rue a host of missed opportunities – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s penalty chief among them – as Kostas Mitroglou’s predatory effort earned Benfica a narrow first-leg lead to take to Germany in three weeks.
