Werkself suffer 7-2 defeat at home to PSG in eventful encounter

Head coach Kasper Hjulmand made just one change to the starting line-up for the match against the reigning champions in Europe’s elite club competition compared to the 4-3 win at Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga: Claudio Echeverri started up front in place of Jonas Hofmann. In addition, the Werkself played in a 4-3-3 formation this time with Robert Andrich in the holding midfield role.

45 Minutes, five goals and two dismissals

PSG began the match with the majority of possession and promptly capitalised on it: From a short corner on the right, Nuno Mendes put the ball into the penalty area, where Willian Pacho rose above Loïc Badé at the far post to head in the opener at 1-0 (7'). Even after the opening goal, it was initially the visitors who moved the ball through their own lines. In contrast, the Werkself looked for counter-attacking situations in particular, with Ernest Poku and Christian Kofane combing well to break through the PSG defence but were unable to get a shot away (17').

Echeverri had the best opportunity up to that point: After another short corner, Alejandro Grimaldo put the Argentinian through in the penalty area but his progress was halted just before the goal (22'). Two minutes later, it was Echeverri again who came out on top against several opponents in a melee in the penalty area as he held on to the ball. In the end, Illia Zabarnyi could only stop him with a foul and a handball, and referee Gil Manzano subsequently awarded a penalty. Grimaldo stepped up to take the spot-kick, but the Spaniard hit the post (25').

The game gathered further momentum just after the half-hour mark: First, Robert Andrich elbowed Désiré Doué in midfield. The Werkself number 8 was first shown a yellow card but the referee made the decision to send him off after the intervention of the VAR and viewing the pitch-side screen (33’). Just four minutes later, Zabarnyi, who had already been cautioned, fouled Christian Kofane at the other end of the pitch and he was also sent off (37'). Aleix Garcia converted the subsequent penalty to level the scores at 1:1. However, last season’s Champions League winners were completely unfazed by this and promptly provided a lightning response, scoring three goals in six minutes with a brace from Doué (42’, 45+3’) and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (44’) to emphatically extend their lead. Bayer 04 trailed 4-1 going into the half-time break.

four more goals in second half

The game continued to be high-scoring after the restart: PSG added to the scoreline shortly after the restart making it 5-1 through Nuno Mendes (50'). Just five minutes later, Bayer 04 goalscorer Garcia curled his powerful long-range shot into the back of the net from around 20 metres out to make it 5-2. Then Ousmane Dembélé, the winner of the Ballon d'Or, scored on the counter-attack with virtually his first touch of the ball - that was game over the Werkself (66'). Nevertheless, the home side continued to work hard until the final whistle, while PSG eased off somewhat. And yet Paris Saint-Germain managed to score another goal with a long-range effort from Vitinha (90') - the final result was a 7-2 defeat for Bayer 04.

coming up: Freiburg at home then Paderborn away in DFB Pokal

The next game for the Werkself is at home game to SC Freiburg at the BayArena this Sunday, 26 October (kick-off: 15:30 CET). A few tickets are still available HERE. Just three days later, on Wednesday 29 October, Bayer 04 are away to SC Paderborn in the second round of the DFB Pokal at the Home Deluxe Arena with the kick-off at 18:00 CET.

Match stats:

Bayer 04: Flekken - Grimaldo, Tapsoba, Badé, Arthur - Garcia, Andrich, Fernández (J. Mensah 81’) - Poku (Ben Seghir 63’), Kofane (Belocian 52’), Echeverri (Maza 46’)

Paris Saint-Germain: Chevalier - Hakimi, Zabarnyi, Kvaratskhelia (Dembélé 63’), Doué (Hernández 46’), Vitinha, Mayulu (Lee 63’), Nuno Mendes, Barcola (Mbaye 49’), Zaïre-Emery (Ndjantou 76’), Pacho

Goals: 0-1 Pacho (7'), 1-1 Garcia (38' pen.), 1-2 Doue (42'), 1-3 Kvaratskhelia (44'), 1-4 Doué (45+3’), 1-5 Mendes (50'), 2-5 Garcia (54'), 2-6 Dembélé (66'), 2-7 Vitinha (90')

Yellow cards: Echeverri, Tapsoba - Zabarnyi

Red cards: Andrich - Zabarnyi

Referee: Gil Manzano (Spain)

Attendance: 30,210 (sold out) at the BayArena