Paris Saint-Germain make Champions League history with 16-minute scoring burst

Paris Saint-Germain set a new UEFA Champions League record by scoring four times in just 16 minutes and two seconds during their league-phase match at Villarreal.

The French side stunned their hosts in the fourth round of the competition, completing the remarkable spell before the 17th minute. Joao Neves opened the scoring in the ninth minute, before Desire Doue doubled the visitors’ advantage three minutes later.

Paris Saint-Germain struck again almost immediately, with Senny Mayulu making it 3-0 in the 13th minute. Fabian Ruiz then completed the four-goal sequence in the 17th minute.

According to statistics provider Mr Chip, Paris Saint-Germain are now the fastest team to score four goals in a single Champions League match. Their official time of 16 minutes and two seconds surpassed the previous record held by Real Madrid.

Real Madrid had scored four goals in 20 minutes against Dinamo Zagreb in November 2011. Paris Saint-Germain achieved their new mark away from home, adding significance to a record-breaking start at Villarreal.

The visitors also established a separate early-scoring record. Paris Saint-Germain became the first side to score three goals away from home within the opening 13 minutes of a Champions League match.

That record had previously belonged to Borussia Dortmund, who scored three times in the first 17 minutes of their game against Legia Warsaw in 2016.

Paris Saint-Germain’s four-goal opening also placed them alongside another French club in the competition’s record books. Stats Foot reported that they became only the second French side to score four goals within the opening 20 minutes of a Champions League match.

The first was Stade de Reims, who achieved the feat against Ards of Northern Ireland on 8 October 1958.

The explosive performance also improved Paris Saint-Germain’s overall scoring figures in this season’s competition. After four rounds, the club have scored 18 goals, their highest total at this stage of the tournament.

That tally moves them beyond their previous best of 17 goals after four matches in the group stage of the 2017-18 season.