Paris Saint-Germain's young talents shone brightly in their 2-1 victory against Barcelona in the Champions League. Despite trailing after Ferran Torres scored in the 19th minute, PSG turned the game around
with goals from Senny Mayulu and Goncalo Ramos. This win was crucial for the defending champions, who fielded a notably youthful lineup.
Luis Enrique's starting eleven had an average age of just 23 years and 98 days, marking it as the second-youngest lineup ever fielded by a reigning Champions League champion. Among them, Ibrahim Mbaye stood out as one of the youngest players to start for a reigning champion at 17 years and 250 days, matching Bright Arrey-Mbi's record for Bayern Munich against Atletico Madrid in December 2020.
Nuno Mendes, who played a pivotal role by assisting Mayulu's equaliser, praised the younger players' performance. "It was a close match, but we still believe in ourselves," he told Canal+. "We have a lot of injuries, but the players who played were great. "
Mayulu's goal was significant as it marked the 20th time a teenager has scored for PSG in the Champions League. This achievement places PSG third behind Barcelona and Ajax, who have had 26 and 23 teenage goals respectively. Mendes highlighted how new talents like Senny and Quentin Ndjantou contributed significantly to their success.
"We showed our work, even with a lot of injuries, we were at the top level," Mendes added. "We know it's going to be harder this year because everyone wants to beat us. We know that, and we're focused. "
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN pic.twitter.com/XxlDZFFg2P
- Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) October 1, 2025
Mayulu expressed his thoughts on their comeback: "They scored first, but we didn't give up; we kept our heads. We knew we had to play our game to come back and win this match. " He emphasised their team identity and resilience.
The coach's daily contributions also play a vital role in maintaining this mentality. PSG remains determined to defend their title despite challenges posed by injuries and opponents eager to dethrone them.
