Newcastle United crush PSG for first Champions League win in two decades

Magpies prevail 4-1 in St James' Park on Wednesday

Newcastle United's Dan Burn celebrates scoring his team's second goal against PSG in their Champions League match at St James' Park on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. Reuters

Newcastle United's Dan Burn scores their second goal. Reuters

Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe looks distraught. Reuters

Sean Longstaff of Newcastle United celebrates with Miguel Almiron after scoring the team's third goal. Getty

PSG's Lucas Hernandez after scoring their first goal. Reuters

Newcastle United's Sean Longstaff scores his side's third goal at St. James' Park. PA

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 04: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Paris Saint-Germain saves the clearance of Manuel Ugarte of Paris Saint-Germain during the UEFA Champions League match between Newcastle United FC and Paris Saint-Germain at St. James Park on October 04, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster / Getty Images)

Newcastle United had a memorable return of the Champions League to St James' Park as Paris Saint-Germain were humbled 4-1 on Wednesday.

Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar all scored as Newcastle made their first home game in Europe's elite competition for 20 years a night to remember.

The Parisians had no answer to the relentless hosts who raced into a 17th-minute lead through Almiron, before Burn powered a header home six minutes before the break to double Newcastle's advantage.

The crowd ensured there was no let up after the break, as Longstaff drilled a third under the arm of Gianluigi Donnarumma in the PSG goal five minutes into the second half.

A goal out of nowhere from Lucas Hernandez got the visitors back in it, before a stoppage-time fourth from defender Schar capped a stunning victory that moved Newcastle top of Group F on four points, one clear of PSG in second.

For PSG, Kylian Mbappe was relatively quiet on the latest tough night for the French champions in their first season since the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Fifth in the French league and facing a difficult task to qualify from a Champions League group also containing AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund, things aren’t going according to plan for PSG and new coach Luis Enrique this season.

Off to their worst Ligue 1 start of the Qatari era, PSG have now won just four of Luis Enrique's first nine games in charge.

However, the French champions did at least show some spirit to limit the damage.

Teenage midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery impressed in a daunting environment and his dink over the Newcastle defence was perfectly judged for Hernandez to head into the far corner.

Meanwhile, Ferran Torres scored after replacing the injured Robert Lewandowski to help Barcelona win 1-0 at FC Porto, while teenager Lamine Yamal became the youngest starter in the history of the Champions League.

Lewandowski was replaced by Torres after he hurt his left ankle when tackled by defender David Carmo. The Poland striker tried to play on, stopping to have his ankle taped, but he was still limping and eventually came off in the 34th.

Torres capitalised on the first major mistake by Porto when Romario Baro weakly hit a pass toward his defence and then stood by while Ilkay Gundogan raced past to pick up the ball and set up his forward to score the winner.