Ousmane Dembele marked his comeback in style as Paris Saint-Germain stormed to a stunning 7-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday night. The reigning champions ran riot at the BayArena, with six different players finding the net in a show of European dominance.
Returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined him since early September, Ballon d'Or winner Dembele wasted no time making his mark - scoring PSG's sixth goal just three minutes after coming off the bench. The Frenchman's return added further firepower to a side already brimming with confidence and goals.
Desire Doue struck twice, while Willian Pacho, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, and Vitinha all scored as Luis Enrique's men produced one of their most
commanding performances of the season. Pacho's early header also etched PSG's name into the record books - his goal was their 39th in the Champions League this year, surpassing Manchester United's long-standing record of 38 goals in a calendar year (set in 2002). By full-time, PSG's total had reached an astonishing 45.
"We are a team that always wants to win everything. This season, we want to win everything again," said coach Luis Enrique. "That will be difficult, but we have the confidence we gained last year. We want this title again. "
Leverkusen's Aleix Garcia scored both goals for the hosts, who endured a nightmare night that saw captain Robert Andrich and PSG's Illia Zabarnyi both sent off before halftime. Andrich's elbow to Doue's jaw earned him a red card, while Zabarnyi followed soon after for conceding a second penalty.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, PSG were relentless. Doue's brace and Kvaratskhelia's thunderbolt put them 4-1 up at the break. Mendes, Dembele, and Vitinha then added to the tally in a second half that showcased PSG's depth and attacking class.
Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand admitted his side were outplayed, saying: "We met the best team in the world right now. They're very strong. "
