Psg survive a scare to advance 5-4 on aggregate after tense tie with Monaco
The Paris Saint-Germain side progressed from the Champions League play-off after a 5-4 aggregate victory over AS Monaco, a tie decided by goals from Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos. The qualification matters now because a sequence of defensive lapses, an early equalizer and a red card left the winner breathing heavily and set up a meeting with Chelsea or Barcelona in the next round.
Aggregate 5-4, goals by Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos
The two-leg confrontation ended 5-4 on aggregate. The home-and-away tie included a 3-2 scoreline from the first leg at the Stade Louis-II that left Paris with a single-goal advantage heading into the return. In the return match at the Parc des Princes, the tie was sealed in part by strikes credited to Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos, names recorded among the goals that delivered PSG’s aggregate success.
Psg at the Parc des Princes and the flow of the match
PSG hosted Monaco at the Parc des Princes with the slender one-goal cushion from the Louis-II result. Defensive imprecision cost them the initiative early: Monaco opened the scoring and later drew level on aggregate when Maghnes Akliouche scored just before halftime (45th minute). Those concessions created a precarious second half despite Paris scoring twice overall in the return. The team’s fragile defending forced a repeated scramble to preserve progression.
Expulsion of Coulibaly led to momentum shift; Teze and Faes added late drama
Monaco were reduced to ten players when Coulibaly was sent off, a turning point that, teammates and opponents acknowledged, made things easier for the side with a numerical advantage. The red card allowed PSG to regain foothold, but Monaco still posed late threats: Teze produced an equalizing goal that made it 2-2 in the match, and a last free-kick taken by Faes created serious anxiety in the closing moments. The sequence shows how a single dismissal (cause) altered possession and tempo, yet did not eliminate Monaco’s capacity to unsettle PSG (effect).
Joao Neves, Khvitcha Kvarastkhelia and player reactions
Joao Neves, the 21-year-old Portuguese midfielder, framed the night around resilience: with a man advantage “it became easier, ” he said, insisting he never doubted the outcome even after Monaco had restored parity on aggregate. Khvitcha Kvarastkhelia gave a more cautious assessment: the adverse scoreline had dented confidence but a talk from the coach at halftime refocused the group and they returned “with strong motivation” to complete the job in the second half. Those player remarks underline both the psychological swings and the practical effect of interventions at the break.
Luis Enrique defends qualification despite admitting a 'very average' performance
Coach Luis Enrique acknowledged the match had been difficult and labelled PSG’s first half imprecise, while praising Monaco as a strong opponent. He said he does not like to see suffering at this level but accepted it as part of football, noting an “incredible” calendar and a list of injuries that have affected the squad; he stressed that those injuries are not an excuse but that having the full team available matters. Enrique maintained that PSG deserved the qualification despite the slog, described the fixture as a trap-like match and insisted that his squad is ready to face any next opponent. He confirmed the next opponent will be either Chelsea or Barcelona and declined to show any preference for one over the other.
What makes this notable is how marginal events—a single-goal advantage from the first leg, an expulsion, and a late set-piece—combined to transform a fixture that could have been straightforward into a near miss for the European champion. A line found in the match material asked, "Comment s'est déroulée votre expérience aujourd'hui ?" — unclear in the provided context — but the sporting facts are clear: PSG advance and will now prepare for Chelsea or Barcelona as the competition enters its next phase.
