Paris Saint-Germain set a Champions League record on Tuesday, scoring four goals inside the first 17 minutes of their league-phase match at Villarreal, with the fourth arriving after just 16 minutes and two seconds, according to Opta.
The record underlined the European champions’ attacking power, coming from a side missing four key players and extending a perfect start to the league phase.
Joao Neves opened the scoring in the ninth minute, according to Reuters, before Desire Doue doubled the lead in the 12th minute and Senny Mayulu added a third a minute later.
Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz completed the record burst in the 17th minute, with Opta timing his strike at 16 minutes and two seconds, the fastest any team has reached four goals in a Champions League match.
| Minute | Scorer | Assist |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Joao Neves | Willian Pacho |
| 12 | Desire Doue | Maghnes Akliouche |
| 13 | Senny Mayulu | Joao Neves |
| 17 | Fabian Ruiz | Maghnes Akliouche |
All four goals followed Villarreal mistakes, according to the Associated Press, as the hosts were caught playing out from the back or dispossessed in their own half.
Villarreal had started brightly and forced early corners, according to TNT Sports, but were booed off at half-time with the tie effectively over.
PSG achieved the feat without 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who were out injured, according to Reuters, while the Associated Press reported Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes were also sidelined with thigh injuries.
Luis Enrique’s side had already scored 14 goals in their first three league-phase games, making them the competition’s leading scorers before kickoff, according to Reuters, after wins over Slovan Bratislava, Manchester City and Barcelona.
UEFA said the previous fastest four-goal start was Real Madrid’s 20 minutes against Dinamo Zagreb in a 6-2 home win in 2011, according to the Associated Press.
Ruiz added a fifth goal in the 50th minute, taking the champions to 19 goals in four league-phase matches at that stage of the night.
Opta confirmed the 16-minute-two-second mark, and UEFA confirmed it as the fastest four-goal start in the competition’s history. PSG had won all three of their league-phase games before travelling to Spain.
