Champions League: Ferran Torres hat-trick helps holders PSG start strongly
What's the story
The Champions League 2026-27 season Matchday 1 saw Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) register a massive 6-1 victory over minnows Slovan Bratislava. With this win, PSG are now top of the 36-team standings with a goal difference of +5. Ferran Torres was the star of the show for PSG, scoring a hat-trick against Slovan Bratislava in his European debut for the French club. Besides him, another former Barcelona player Ousmane Dembele made his presence felt with 2 goals.
Star performance
PSG take control, go 3-0 up in 1st half
Torres, a Spanish World Cup winner who joined PSG from Barcelona this summer, made an immediate impact.
He scored after Dembele had given the hosts a two-goal lead.
Dembele opened the scoring after 17 minutes by slotting home a rebound from Nuno Mendes's fierce shot that hit the post.
Dembele doubled PSG's lead six minutes later, heading in from Dro Fernandez's deflected cross.
He then turned provider for his new teammate Torres, delivering a teasing cross into the six-yard box that left the latter with a simple tap-in at the near post.
Goal collaboration
Torres gets his hat-trick in the 2nd half
Torres scored in two minutes after the break with a brilliant finish after an intelligent run and lay-off by Maghnes Akliouche.
Torres then completed his hat-trick by converting Dembele's corner from within a crowded penalty area.
Suleiman Camara scored a consolation goal for the visitors, but Fabian Ruiz added another for PSG late in the game.
The impressive performance comes as a much-needed boost for PSG, who are currently 13th in Ligue 1 after two draws and one loss this season.
Dembele
Dembele races to 63 goals and 40 assists for PSG
In 139 games for PSG, Dembele has now raced to 63 goals.
20 of Dembele's goals for PSG have come in the Champions League from 40 matches.
Overall, the former Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona player has scored 30 Champions League goals from 80 appearances.
Dembele now has three assists this season for PSG across competitions.
Overall, the Frenchman has bagged 40 assists for the club.
Information
Dembele's game by the numbers versus Slovan Bratislava
Versus Slovan Bratislava, Dembele managed 14 touches in the opposition box, as per Squawka. He had 10 shots and created 6 chances. Dembele won 5 duels and made 4 successful take-ons. He also created 3 big chances and had 3 shots on target.
Ferran
Torres in fine form for new club PSG
Torres now has five goals for PSG this season from 4 appearances.
Notably, he is now the first ever PSG player to score a hat-trick on his Champions League debut for the club.
Versus Slovan Bratislava, he made 32 touches and completed 15/16 passes. He also had 7 touches in opposition box.
From 6 shots, 3 of them were on target as he bagged three goals. He also created 2 big chances.
Numbers
PSG had 35 shots versus Slovan Bratislava
PSG managed 35 shots in the clash versus Slovan Bratislava with 14 being on target. PSG's xG was 4.71 compared to their opponent's 0.64.
PSG also had 72% ball possession.
PSG's attempted 35 shots against Slovan Bratislava is now their record in a Champions League match since Opta began analyzing it (2003/04).