Paris Saint-Germain did not ease into their Champions League title defence. They exploded into it.
Ferran Torres marked his European debut for PSG with a hat trick as the French champions swept aside Slovan Bratislava 6-1 on Wednesday. Ousmane Dembélé also struck twice, while Fabián Ruiz added a late sixth to cap a dominant night.
For PSG, the timing could hardly have been better.
Their domestic campaign had started unevenly. Europe offered a chance to reset — and they took it.
Dembélé Sets the Tone
PSG needed just 17 minutes to break through.
Nuno Mendes rattled the post with a powerful attempt, but Dembélé was first to the rebound. He reacted instantly, turning the loose ball into the opening goal.
The second arrived only six minutes later.
Slovan attempted to build from the back but surrendered possession under pressure. PSG pounced. A deflected delivery from Dro Fernández found Dembélé, who headed home to make it 2-0.
The French side were in complete control.
Then Dembélé changed roles.
Torres Takes Over
In the 31st minute, Dembélé supplied the cross rather than the finish. His ball flashed across the six-yard area, where Torres was perfectly positioned to turn it in.
3-0 before halftime. Game seemingly over.
But Torres was not finished.
Just two minutes into the second half, the Spanish forward made a sharp run and connected with a pass from Maghnes Akliouche. He then unleashed a powerful finish for his second of the night.
His hat trick followed just four minutes later.
Dembélé delivered from a corner, and Torres fought his way through a crowded penalty area to redirect the ball into the net.
Three goals. One Champions League debut.
That was the moment the summer signing announced himself on the European stage.
Slovan Find a Brief Answer
Slovan Bratislava finally found a way through in the 58th minute.
Suleiman Camara worked his way into the six-yard box, shifted onto his right foot and fired a superb effort into the top corner.
It was a quality finish.
It simply did not change the story of the match.
PSG continued to dictate the game and refused to let their opponents build any momentum.
Ruiz Adds the Final Blow
With three minutes of normal time remaining, PSG found their sixth.
Fabián Ruiz received the ball and picked out the far corner with a composed strike, putting the finishing touch on a 6-1 statement victory.
The scoreline mattered. So did the performance.
PSG entered the night carrying questions after a difficult opening stretch in Ligue 1. They had already drawn twice and suffered one defeat in their first three league matches.
Against Slovan, those concerns disappeared for 90 minutes.
The Champions League defence had begun with a warning to the rest of Europe.
And if Torres can reproduce this kind of form on the biggest nights, PSG may have found another decisive weapon in their pursuit of European glory.
