Paris Saint-Germain Recover to Draw 2-2 in Ligue 1 as European Leagues Resume

Paris Saint-Germain recovered from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw on Friday in their second Ligue 1 matchday, with team captain Marquinhos scoring the equalizing goal after midfielder Vitinha initiated the team’s comeback. The result marked the second consecutive matchday in which the French champions trailed 2-0 before recovering to earn a draw, following a similar comeback performance in their previous league fixture.

Across European domestic leagues, Manchester City secured a decisive 4-1 victory against Crystal Palace in English Premier League action on Friday. Manchester City was powered by double-goal performances from both Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland, who each scored two goals during the fixture.

In the opening match of the German Bundesliga season, Bayern Munich recorded a 5-1 victory against Stuttgart. Defender Dayot Upamecano scored the first goal of the Bundesliga season, while French teammate Michael Olise also added a goal to the scoreline and was named the official player of the match.

In Italy’s Serie A, AC Milan earned a 2-0 victory over Venezia, supported by an opening goal from new signing Gonçalo Ramos following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, in the Saudi Pro League, forward Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 978th career goal to secure a victory for Al-Nassr.

European club competition draws for the Europa League and Conference League were conducted in Monaco on Friday. In the Europa League, French club Lyon was paired with opponents including Bayer Leverkusen and Crystal Palace. Fellow French side Marseille was drawn to face Bayer Leverkusen, alongside away fixtures against Celtic and Besiktas, while Rennes was drawn against Italian side Juventus. In the Conference League, Monaco was scheduled to travel for a fixture against English club Brighton.

Player movement continued across European clubs ahead of the transfer deadline. Aston Villa confirmed the departure of forward Ollie Watkins and the signing of Senegal international striker Nicolas Jackson. The English club is also reported to be closing in on the acquisition of Paris Saint-Germain youth player Ibrahim Mbaye. Elsewhere, French club Marseille is seeking to sell defender Leonardo Balerdi, who is reportedly set to join Italian side Roma.

In professional cycling, Norwegian rider Andreas Leknessund claimed victory on Stage 7 of the Vuelta a España after a strong individual performance, while Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar retained his overall position at the top of the general classification standings.

Background

The matches mark the beginning of the 2026 domestic football season across major European leagues, alongside the preliminary draws for European continental club competitions organized by UEFA. Paris Saint-Germain entered the Ligue 1 campaign aiming to defend their domestic league title, while clubs across Europe finalize squad changes before the closure of the international transfer window.