Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain began their Champions League title defence with a convincing victory over Slovan Bratislava.
Torres joined PSG from Barcelona during the summer and made an immediate impact on his European debut for the French club.
Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring after 17 minutes. He reacted quickly after Nuno Mendes’ powerful effort struck the post and fired home the rebound.
Dembele doubled the lead six minutes later. Slovan were punished for trying to play out from the back as Dembele headed in from Dro Fernandez’s deflected cross.
The Ballon d’Or winner then turned provider for Torres. Dembele delivered a teasing cross into the six-yard box, allowing Torres to finish from close range.
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Torres doubled his tally two minutes after the break. He raced into space before finishing brilliantly following a clever run and lay-off from Maghnes Akliouche.
The Spanish forward completed his hat-trick when he converted Dembele’s corner inside a crowded penalty area.
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Slovan, managed by former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, pulled one goal back through Suleiman Camara. The forward moved into the six-yard box before cutting onto his right foot and firing into the top corner.
Fabian Ruiz restored PSG’s four-goal advantage late in the match. He drilled the ball into the far corner to complete a much-needed European victory.
The result comes at an important time for PSG. The French champions have struggled in Ligue 1 this season, with two draws and one defeat leaving them 13th in the table.
However, their emphatic Champions League performance will provide a major confidence boost as they begin their pursuit of a third consecutive European title.
