Champions League: Neymar helps PSG outclass Bayern Munich
PSG now lead the five-time champions by three points in the race to finish top of Group B.
Paris: Neymar starred as Paris Saint-Germain sent out a statement of intent with an impressive 3-0 Champions League victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday, while Michy Batshuayi grabbed an injury-time winner as Chelsea won 2-1 at Atletico Madrid.
It took PSG less than two minutes to break the deadlock in the Group B clash against Bayern, as world-record signing Neymar teed up fellow Brazilian Dani Alves to hammer home.
Bayern piled on the pressure but failed to take their chances, before Edinson Cavani finished a sweeping counter-attack with an exquisite strike into the top corner.
Unai Emery’s men finished off their visitors in the 63rd minute when Neymar pounced after Kylian Mbappe had bamboozled the Bayern defence. PSG now lead the five-time champions by three points in the race to finish top of Group B.
Atletico were handed the opener against English champions Chelsea when David Luiz needlessly gave away a penalty and Antoine Griezmann slotted past keeper Thibaut Courtois.
But the Wanda Metropolitano — as well as the watching Diego Costa, signed this week from Chelsea — was silenced as former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata headed in an excellent Eden Hazard cross.
Antonio Conte’s men deserved all three points and snatched the win in the fourth minute of added time as Belgian subsitute Batshuayi picked out the bottom corner.
Chelsea are now clear of Roma at the top of Group C by two points, after the Italians held on to beat Qarabag 2-1 in the early kick-off in Baku.
Three-time winners Manchester United brushed aside CSKA Moscow 4-1 to maintain their unbeaten record in the Russian capital, with Romelu Lukaku continuing his extraordinary start to life at the club with a brace. Barcelona overcame a stuttering display to edge out Sporting 1-0 in the Portuguese capital.