Spurs' Defensive Woes Continue in Paris Goal Fest
Despite a spirited performance and a brace from Randal Kolo Muani, Tottenham Hotspur succumbed to a 5-3 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League classic on Wednesday, 26 November 2025. The loss, orchestrated by a Vitinha hat-trick, ends Spurs' unbeaten run in the competition and leaves them languishing in 15th place in the league phase after five fixtures.
A Battle of Attack and Counter-Attack
Eager to respond after a demoralising 4-1 North London derby loss to Arsenal, manager Thomas Frank reshuffled his pack, handing starts to younger players like Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Pape Sarr. The intent was clear from the outset, with Bergvall's clever flick setting up an early chance for Gray, which was snuffed out by PSG captain Marquinhos on his 500th appearance for the club.
Against the run of play, Tottenham took a surprise lead in the 35th minute. The move was crafted by the youth, with another Bergvall flick releasing Gray, who lofted a cross to the back post for Kolo Muani to head back across goal, allowing Richarlison a simple close-range finish.
Their lead was short-lived, however, as Vitinha produced a moment of pure quality, thundering a 25-yard strike in off the crossbar just before half-time to level the scores.
Second-Half Goal Frenzy Seals Tottenham's Fate
Spurs emerged from the break with renewed vigour and regained the lead five minutes after the restart. A Pedro Porro set-piece was nodded back into the danger area by Richarlison, and after Gray's flick was cleared off the line, Randal Kolo Muani rifled home the rebound to score against his parent club.
This sparked a furious response from the French champions, who scored three times in a devastating 13-minute spell. Vitinha curled in his second after being given too much space in the 53rd minute, before Fabián Ruiz completed the turnaround by capitalising on a Sarr error. William Pacho then fired in a fourth after Tottenham failed to deal with a corner.
Kolo Muani gave Spurs a late glimmer of hope, driving a low shot into the corner with 18 minutes left, but Vitinha sealed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after a Cristian Romero handball, wrapping up a 5-3 victory for PSG, who also saw Lucas Hernández sent off late on.
While the result is another blow for Thomas Frank, the attacking impetus shown in Paris provides a stark contrast to the performance at the Emirates and offers a positive foundation to build upon ahead of Fulham's visit this weekend.
