Paris St Germain stun Villarreal in 6-0 Champions League rout
Within 17 minutes the French side were already leading 4-0.
Fabian Ruiz scored twice as Paris St Germain delivered another Champions League masterclass to thrash Villarreal 6-0 at Estadio de la Ceramica.
PSG stunned the home crowd and their Spanish opponents by racing into a 4-0 lead inside 17 minutes, with Joao Neves starting the goal-blitz before Desire Doue, Senny Mayulu and Ruiz quickly put the tie to bed.
World Cup-winner Ruiz struck his second to make it 5-0 soon after the interval and substitute David Boly completed the scoring as PSG extended their 100 per cent Champions League start and moved three points clear at the top of the table.
Luis Enrique’s side launched their Champions League title defence by thrashing Slovan Bratislava 6-1 before beating both Manchester City and Barcelona 4-2 in statement wins.
Since taking just two points from their first three Ligue 1 games this season, which included a 2-1 home defeat to Monaco, PSG have now won 10 successive games in all competitions.
Doue had already forced Villarreal goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi into a full-length low save before Neves lashed home from close range following a ninth-minute corner.
Villarreal were then carved open by Maghnes Akliouche’s pass and Doue steered a right-footed shot into the bottom corner three minutes later.
Within 60 seconds the home side were 3-0 down. Midfielder Mayulu worked space for himself in the box and fired a rising shot into the top corner.
At this stage there was no easing off from PSG as Akliouche completed his second assist, this time picking out Ruiz in the box for the Spain midfielder to arrow a low shot beyond Gulacsi.
Akliouche was creating chances at will and Ruiz twice went close to a fifth, fizzing an angled effort just wide before Gulacsi made another flying save to keep out his shot from outside the box.
PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov made his first save in first-half stoppage time, superbly turning away Ayoze Perez’s 25-yard effort.
But there was no respite for Villarreal, who fell further behind five minutes after the restart when Ruiz latched on to Vitinha’s free-kick into the area and buried his finish.
Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye’s 66th-minute shot from outside the box tested Safonov’s concentration.
Enrique withdrew Doue, Vitinha and Achraf Hakimi in the 74th minute and still PSG pressed forward, with substitute Boly firing home an angled shot following Neves’ assist to complete the rout.