This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
On a night that saw Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) get off to a flying start in their Champions League campaign, Angel Di Maria stole the show with a brace against his former club, Real Madrid.
PSG's victory, which came with a 3-0 scoreline, marked a perfect start for the French champions in their bid for Champions League success. The win also served as a measure of revenge for PSG's defeat at the hands of Real in the last 16 the previous year.
Real Madrid, who were without several key players including Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, struggled to make an impact on the game. The Spanish giants had a Gareth Bale goal disallowed for handball after a VAR review, while Eden Hazard struggled to make an impact on his first start since his 100 million-euro move from Chelsea.
Di Maria, who starred for Real for four years and won the Champions League with them in 2014, gave PSG the lead in the 14th minute with a shot on his left foot from 20 yards out. He then doubled PSG's lead just after the half-hour mark with a shot on his left foot from 20 yards out that arrowed into the corner.
Thomas Meunier added the gloss to the scoreline at the death, but it was Di Maria who had cleared the way for his side, stepping up in the absences of the injured Mbappe and Edinson Cavani as well as the suspended Neymar.
PSG, who remain unbeaten at home in the Champions League group stage since 2004, are already in control of Group A before facing Galatasaray and Club Brugge, who drew 0-0 in Belgium on Wednesday.
