Mansion Sports – Barcelona suffered their first defeat of the season after being edged out 2-1 by defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday night. 

Despite taking the lead through Ferran Torres, the Catalans were pegged back by Senny Mayulu before Gonçalo Ramos sealed victory late on for the Parisians.

Flick Concedes Barcelona Deserved No Points

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick admitted after the match that his side did not perform at the level required and fully deserved to leave empty-handed.

“The first half was much better than the second. We gave away too much space because of fatigue. PSG are a great team with very quick young players, and they played superbly. We were not at our best, and against a side like that, the result is understandable. They deserved the win,” Flick told Marca.

He also highlighted his team’s lapses in concentration at the decisive moments.

“At 1-1, we needed to defend more intelligently until the end, but we failed to do so. In transition, they found gaps and punished us. We should have been more structured, closed the spaces, and defended collectively for the full 90 minutes. Every player must attack, defend, and maintain intensity with the ball. PSG showed how effectively they used space and their desire to dominate possession. That is an important lesson for us,” he added.

Pedri and Frenkie Struggle With Fatigue as Flick Explains Team’s Condition

Flick substituted Pedri earlier than usual, later revealing that several players were struggling with significant fatigue during the second half.

“It was very clear after the break that some players were exhausted, including Pedri and Frenkie (de Jong). But they all gave everything on the pitch. Both Pedri and Frenkie have been playing a lot of minutes recently. It is important for them to remain fit, but above all, it is about the team as a whole,” the German coach explained.

Barcelona Urged to Improve Consistency in Europe

With this setback, Barcelona must quickly address their issues with consistency if they hope to sustain their Champions League ambitions. 

Facing disciplined and efficient opponents like PSG requires sharper concentration, tactical structure, and endurance across the full match—qualities Flick insists his team must strengthen in the coming weeks.