Lionel Messi scored an injury-time free-kick to spare Paris Saint-Germain’s blushes in a madcap game against Lille.
In a remarkable showing at the Parc des Princes, the star-studded PSG side appeared to be on the way to a fourth straight defeat after conspiring to throw away a 2-0 lead. But Kylian Mbappe equalised late on before Messi stepped up to curl a free-kick in via the inside of the post to end a three-game losing run.
The remarkable turnaround came after a bizarre appearance from sporting director Luis Campos, who left his seat in the stands to come down to the touchline alongside manager Christophe Galtier where he began screaming at the players and match officials in staggering scenes. And Les Parisiens' comeback came without Neymar, stretchered off early in the second half.
Goals from Mbappe and Neymar appeared to have the home side in control after 17 minute, but their recent poor form, which had seen them lose to Marseille, Monaco and Bayern Munich, came back to bite.
Bafode Diakite headed in to make it 2-1 at the break before things went from bad to worse. Neymar had to be stretchered off the pitch in the 51st minute after rolling his right ankle in a challenge.
The Brazilian looked in real pain, and after trying to hobble to the sidelines, he made use of the stretcher on offer, breaking down into tears as he was carried off.
Jonathan David netted from the penalty spot after Marco Veratti was controversially adjudged to have tugged a shirt at a corner, before Lille made it 3-2 when Jonathan Bamba raced onto a ball over the top of the defence and beat Gianluigi Donnarumma at the near post.
The three-goal turnaround stunned the Parc des Princes before superstar duo Mbappe and Messi came up trumps.
With PSG seemingly running out of ideas, Mbappe slid in Juan Bernat’s low cross at the near post in the 87th minute for his second goal. Then, Messi produced a textbook free-kick in the 95th minute, curling the ball past Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.
At that moment, amid jubilant scenes in the stands and on the pitch - with Galtier running onto the field to hug his players - Campos reacted by screaming in delight and shaking his fist in the face of the Ligue 1 representative who was stood nearby.
It was an eye-catching end to a truly unforgettable match which had drama galore in Paris.
"The match was not great, we made a lot of mistakes," admitted Mbappe. "But we have shown that even when the context is not favourable, we can get by."
All of this came after a typical week in the soap opera that is PSG.
There was intrigue at the kick-off when it became apparent that Presnel Kimpembe was wearing the captain’s armband in Marquinhos’ absence – and not Mbappe, who had been made vice-captain by Galtier last month.
Meanwhile, earlier in the week Neymar has been criticised for being “unprofessional” after attending the European Poker Tour in Paris and going to McDonald's following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich.
Speaking ahead of the game on French TV, Thierry Henry questioned how the footage of Neymar in McDonald's had come to public attention, joking: "With friends like that, who needs enemies!"
Neymar put that incident behind him with the second PSG goal, but the tears and serious-looking injury already make him a major doubt for the all-important second leg against Bayern on March 8.
“I hope Neymar’s injury is not serious, I hope he returns soon — we need him with us," declared Mbappe.
He also denied that his comments in midweek, seen as a dig at his Brazilian teammate, were pointed at PSG's No.10. "I was never attacking or pointing the finger at Neymar."
Asked post-match if he was worried about his prospects with the side behind and facing a fourth straight loss, Galtier responded: "Was afraid for my future at 3-2? A PSG coach who loses four games in a row, obviously he is in trouble.
"What I can tell you is that I have the ongoing support of the sports management and my president."
