Paris Saint-Germain drew 2-2 with Monaco at Parc des Princes to progress 5-4 on aggregate in the Champions League knockout playoff. The holders overcame a first-half deficit after Monaco's Mamadou Coulibaly was sent off, with Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring to secure advancement. Jordan Teze's late goal provided a tense finish for Luis Enrique's side.
Paris Saint-Germain, the defending Champions League champions, faced a challenging second leg against Monaco in the knockout phase playoff at Parc des Princes on February 25, 2026. Holding a 3-2 lead from the first leg, where they recovered from 2-0 down with two goals from substitute Desire Doue, PSG started the match under pressure.
Monaco took the lead just before half-time when Maghnes Akliouche finished neatly into the bottom corner after a through ball from Mamadou Coulibaly, leveling the aggregate score at 2-2. The visitors had earlier missed a chance when Coulibaly headed over from Akliouche's cross.
The game's turning point came in the 58th minute when Coulibaly, already on a yellow card from three minutes prior, received a second for a tackle on Achraf Hakimi and was sent off, leaving Monaco with 10 players. PSG capitalized quickly: Marquinhos slotted home from Desire Doue's low cross to equalize on the night.
In the 66th minute, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fired in from close range after Monaco goalkeeper Philipp Kohn parried Hakimi's low strike. Monaco pulled one back in stoppage time through Jordan Teze's left-footed shot into the bottom corner, but it was merely a consolation.
Désiré Doué, player of the match according to UEFA, reflected post-game: “At the end, when they scored, we felt stressed and it was scary. The objective is to dominate the whole match, but you also have to know how to come back from behind. Next time, we’ll try not to concede a goal, that’s important.”
PSG, who missed Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz due to injury, advance to the last 16 and will face either Barcelona or Chelsea. The draw for the round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals occurs on February 27, 2026. This marks the holders' 14th consecutive season in the knockout phase, though they showed fragility compared to last season's form.
