PARIS — The presence of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at Paris Saint-Germain has revitalized winger Bradley Barcola during the Champions League campaign.
In a dominant performance against Brest, Barcola contributed significantly with a goal, an assist, and involvement in another goal as PSG triumphed 7-0, securing a commanding 10-0 aggregate win to progress to the round of 16.
Barcola was substituted off after the third goal was scored, which demonstrated PSG’s overwhelming control over the match, making them the first club to have seven different players score in a single Champions League fixture.
PSG coach Luis Enrique expressed his satisfaction with both the outcome and the teamwork displayed by the players, as he has consistently emphasized the importance of collaboration over individual stardom following the club’s Galactico phase.
“This hasn’t happened before in the Champions League, and it reflects the team’s mentality,” said the former Barcelona manager. “When seven players score, it highlights that they are looking out for teammates in better positions, which significantly contributed to our scoreline.”
While PSG’s win was impressive, they narrowly missed equaling the record for the largest margin of victory in the competition, which is set at eight goals—achieved by Liverpool against Besiktas in 2007 and Real Madrid against Malmo in 2015.
Since Kvaratskhelia’s transfer from Napoli in mid-January, 22-year-old Barcola has found his scoring touch, netting three goals in four Champions League appearances compared to none prior to Kvaratskhelia’s arrival.
With Enrique fielding an exciting new attacking lineup—including the talented 19-year-old Désiré Doué and the efficient Gonçalo Ramos—Barcola has stepped up to meet the heightened expectations.
His recent contributions include a crucial equalizer in a thrilling 4-2 victory over Manchester City just days after Kvaratskhelia joined the team, followed by a decisive opening goal in a 4-1 win over Stuttgart that secured PSG’s playoff berth.
During the match against Brest, Barcola scored the opener in the 20th minute, expertly controlling a long pass from Fabián Ruiz, maneuvering past defender Massadio Haïdara, and placing the ball skillfully inside the post.
He later assisted Kvaratskhelia in scoring the second goal from a tight angle at the back post in the 39th minute, marking Kvaratskhelia’s first Champions League goal for the club after his substantial transfer fee of 70 million euros (approximately $72 million).
Barcola also collaborated with Ruiz to allow Vitinha to score the third goal from outside the penalty area, leading to substitutions as Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé got some rest while Doué and Ramos came off the bench to add to the tally.
Nuno Mendes and Senny Mayulu also got on the scoresheet, increasing PSG’s dominance.
Looking ahead, PSG will face a tougher challenge in their next matchup against either Liverpool, a six-time winner, or Barcelona, a five-time champion.
On the other hand, Brest’s European journey ends in disappointment, having experienced four consecutive defeats with 15 goals conceded, returning to a mid-table position in Ligue 1.
This defeat marks Brest’s third loss to PSG this month alone, previously suffering a 5-2 defeat in Ligue 1 and a 3-1 loss earlier in the season.
Midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou shared his honest sentiments following the match, stating, “We expected a tough job ahead of the second leg, but it feels embarrassing to exit like this; a 7-0 defeat is excessive. Losing 7-0 approaches a level of professional misconduct.”
