On Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium, Paris Saint-Germain secured a 4-2 victory over Manchester City (video highlights: Manchester City vs. PSG) on Matchday 2 of the 2026-2027 Champions League. Here are the ratings awarded by Le Parisien and L’Équipe to the Parisian players (find our own ratings here).
Le Parisien:
L’Équipe:
- A brilliant PSG, then less dominant
PSG won 4-2 away at Manchester City following a top-class first half. The remainder of the match served as a reminder that such an opponent does not simply vanish at halftime. The team averages—5.91 from L’Équipe and 6.82 from Le Parisien—reflect a genuine difference in assessment. It is difficult to weigh up this attacking masterclass without considering the struggles that followed.
- Doué: class at the service of the team
Scoring a goal and then providing an assist for Dembélé within the span of two minutes, Doué was devastating. Yet his evening was about more than just those two moments; he made the right choices, linked up well with teammates, and put his technical superiority to good use. His spot at the top of both sets of ratings is well-deserved. Dembélé maintained that efficiency by later setting up Akliouche’s goal—a crucial strike that halted the English side’s momentum.
- The midfield dazzled, then came under pressure
Ruiz’s movement, Zaïre-Emery’s forward runs, and Vitinha’s tireless activity initially made Paris a difficult side to pin down. Hakimi played a major role in this fluidity. However, subsequent turnovers exposed a team that had lost control of the tempo; the ball Ruiz lost leading up to the second English goal was a prime example. Even so, the rating of 5 given to Vitinha by L’Équipe seems harsh compared to the 7.5 awarded by Le Parisien. His influence before the break and his goal deserve better than a merely average assessment.
- Safonov proves decisive; Pacho sparks debate
When the team’s composure began to slip, Safonov stepped up—most notably when denying Haaland late in the match. The widespread praise he has received is well-deserved. As for Pacho, the gap between the 4 awarded by L’Équipe and the 6.5 from Le Parisien highlights the complexity of evaluating such a performance. While he was beaten in the air by the Norwegian striker, he also managed to rectify several dangerous situations. The harsh rating may seem severe, but his individual interventions were not enough to fully mask the defensive gaps.
- Luis Enrique finds the breakthrough
Starting Akliouche proved to be a winning decision, as did banking on the impact of Zaïre-Emery. The 7 awarded to the coach by L’Équipe is justified; his side built their lead in brilliant fashion. That said, they struggled to regain control after the interval, even following the substitutions.
