Eleven matches in La Liga and the Champions League had ended in victories for Barcelona.
But that remarkable run - the club’s best start to a season ever - came to an end at Parc des Princes on Tuesday night.
In a match of the highest quality, as expected, Paris Saint-Germain were slightly sharper.
This despite suffering three serious injuries when last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Marquinhos all went off during the match.
Late finishing flourish
For a long time, however, the score was “only” 1-1 - Désiré Doué gave PSG the lead in the 38th minute and Xavi Espart equalized in the 55th - before things got out of hand in the final 20 minutes.
+ Lucas Hernández rose highest at a corner and headed home to make it 2-1 in the 72nd minute.
+ Barcelona star Lamine Yamal made it 2-2 with a dream goal in the 79th minute, taking advantage of a mistake by the recently substituted Warren Zaïre-Emery before advancing and thundering the ball into the net with a fine toe-poke from a tight angle.
+ Just two minutes later, Vitinha stepped up. The Portuguese midfielder controlled the ball on his chest and drove it low into the net to make it 3-2, leaving Joan García with no chance. García had otherwise played well in goal for Barcelona.
+ In the 86th minute, Fabián Ruiz made it 4-2 from close range after being set up by Achraf Hakimi.
After the violence
“We really gave it our all and it showed in the result. We are focused and hungry,” Désiré Doué told French broadcaster Canal+.
The match was played after the violence of recent days in the wake of nationwide demonstrations, which have hit the capital, Paris, hard, among other places.