UCL: Vitinha hat-trick fires PSG to seven-goal thriller and giant step towards qualification
Vitinha has had some big nights in Paris, but few like this. With a stunning hat-trick, the Portuguese midfielder dragged PSG through a wild 5-3 win over Tottenham and put Luis Enrique’s side on the brink of qualification for the Champions League top 8.
Randal Kolo Muani was back at the Parc des Princes with Spurs and facing his parent club managed to struck twice and added an assist in a surreal personal night, but it was not enough to spoil the Parisian party. Fabian Ruiz and Willian Pacho completed the scoring for PSG in a breathless contest where both teams led, both suffered, and both could have scored even more.
Kolo Muani decisive, Vitinha responds
Tottenham arrived wounded after a heavy derby defeat at Arsenal but started with real personality, pressing high and unsettling PSG’s build-up. Paris, with Ndjantou leading the line, Kvaratskhelia on the wing and Zaïre-Emery at right-back, initially struggled to find control and repeatedly lost the ball in their own half.
Fabian Ruiz sent the first warning with a powerful effort that shaved Vicario’s post, while Kvaratskhelia also went close with a trademark curled strike from the left. For a while, it looked like PSG were turning the tide after riding out the early “London storm”.
Instead, they were punished. In the 35th minute, Gray floated a clever cross to the far post, where Kolo Muani – warmly greeted pre-match by his former team-mates – rose above the defence and selflessly headed across goal for Richarlison to tap in. PSG stunned, Spurs ahead.
But on Marquinhos’ 500th PSG appearance, Vitinha chose the perfect time to ignite the stadium. A short corner, a square ball, 25 metres out — and a rocket into the top corner. 1-1. The Parc exploded with joy. Paris re-launched.
Spurs score again… and PSG kick on
Just after the break, Tottenham struck once more. From a corner, chaos ensued in the six-yard box - Pacho saved off the line, but Kolo Muani was there to slam in his first Tottenham goal, ironically at the stadium he calls home.
Vitinha curled in a second beauty just minutes later. Fabian Ruiz then completed a flowing, pressing-led move to make it 3-2. Pacho added a poacher’s fourth on a corner. In 14 minutes, PSG went from trailing 1-2 to leading 4-2 - a brutal momentum swing.
Tottenham weren’t finished, and Vitinha briefly turned villain with a costly giveaway that gifted Kolo Muani his second. 4-3. A thriller with no brakes. Vitinha completed his hat-trick from the spot after Romero handled the ball in the area.
Dembélé returns, Hernandez sees red, PSG step forward
Ousmane Dembélé made his return to competition in the final minutes, showing hunger and sharpness, while Chevalier handled late pressure well. The only black mark: Lucas Hernandez’s stoppage-time red card for an unnecessary elbow on Xavi Simons.
Still, the result stands tall. PSG move provisionally into the UCL top 8 zone, responding boldly to their setback against Bayern and delivering a night that felt like ignition rather than survival.
THE STAT: 500
Marquinhos made his 500th appearance for PSG across all competitions, becoming just one of five players to reach that milestone with the same club from the big five European leagues since he moved to France in 2013-14 after Koke (Atlético de Madrid), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Luka Modric (Real Madrid) and Jan Oblak (Atlético de Madrid).
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