FREE-SPENDING Paris Saint-Germain demonstrated their prowess with a 5-0 thumping of Celtic in their Champions League opener at Parkhead.
The world’s most expensive frontline costing over £400 million did the damage in the first-half as Brazilian star Neymar opened the scoring in the 19th minute, 18-year-old French sensation Kylian Mbappe added a second in the 34th minute before Edinson Cavani scored with a penalty.
A fan from among the home supporters revealed his frustration when he came on to the pitch to aim a fresh-air kick at Mbappe before being escorted away by stewards.
Brendan Rodgers’ side performed better after the break but in the latter stages Parkhead defender Mikael Lustig put through his own goal before Cavani grabbed his second with a clever header to hand the home side their record home defeat in Europe.
It was always going to be a tough task for Celtic who had striker Leigh Griffiths back after recovering from a calf problem and 18-year-old Anthony Ralston tasked with taking on Neymar as regular full-back Lustig was moved into central defence alongside Jozo Simunovic.
The French side broke the world transfer record when they signed Brazilian superstar Neymar from Barcelona in the summer for £200.6m and Mbappe joined on a season-long loan from Monaco, with an option to make the deal permanent for £166m and they were both instrumental in a fine PSG performance.
Ralston was warned by Italian referee Daniel Orsato for his second foul on Neymar just before Cavani had the ball in the net from a Layvin Kurzawa cross only to be ruled offside.
Celtic keeper Craig Gordon made a decent save from Cavani’s long-range strike before the visitors went ahead.
The home fans claimed for a foul on Hoops attacker Scott Sinclair by Dani Alves before PSG regained possession and Adrien Rabiot slipped Neymar in behind Ralston and he raced into the box and lifted it over the on-rushing Gordon with assurance.
Minutes later Griffiths came close to levelling with a 25-yard free-kick that was tipped over the bar by Alphonse Areola, the keeper taking the resultant corner with ease.
The slick-moving French side were in control, however, and their second goal came from a deep cross from the right by Thiago Motta which was headed down by Neymar and Mbappe was on hand to blast the ball high into the net.
Five minutes from the interval Simunovic conceded a needless penalty and picked up a booking for a tug at Cavani and the Uruguayan picked himself up before going on to slam the spot kick home for number three.
Moments later, there was a hold-up as a fan ran on and appeared to aim a kick at Mbappe before he was hustled off by stewards, an incident sure to land the Glasgow club in more trouble with Uefa.
Tom Rogic replaced Stuart Armstrong for the start of the second-half and the Scottish champions tried to rally.
Ralston was booked for a foul on Motta and as the home side enjoyed a measure of possession Areola again denied Sinclair from close range.
Julian Draxler came on for Rabiot and Celtic’s French striker Odsonne Edouard replaced Griffiths but there was more woe to come for the outclassed home side.
In the 83rd minute Draxler’s cut-back was inadvertently knocked into his own net by Lustig before Cavani headed in number five from a Kurzawa cross to compound a miserable night for Celtic.
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