Torres hat-trick fires PSG to 6-1 rout of Bratislava in Champions League title defence

Ferran Torres announced himself as a PSG player in emphatic fashion on Wednesday, striking a hat-trick as the holders demolished Slovan Bratislava 6-1 at the Parc des Princes to launch their Champions League title defence.

Ousmane Dembele got the evening started with two goals before Torres took centre stage with three in quick succession, putting the French champions 5-0 ahead inside 57 minutes. Suleiman Camara pulled one back for the Slovak side — coached by former Champions League winner Yaya Toure — before Fabian Ruiz added a sixth two minutes from time. The performance was a sharp contrast to the rustiness PSG have shown in their early domestic league form as they chase a third successive European crown.

In Lisbon, Sporting overturned an early deficit to beat Galatasaray 3-1. Goncalo Inacio’s fifth-minute own goal handed the Turkish side the lead, but Geny Catamo equalised in the 27th minute after some poor Galatasaray defending. Luis Suarez converted a penalty on 57 minutes to put Sporting ahead, and Rodrigo Zalazar sealed the win with a blistering free kick six minutes later.

Earlier on Wednesday, Barcelona captain Raphinha scored twice as his side thrashed Feyenoord 5-1 at a rain-soaked Montjuic. Karim Adeyemi, Lamine Yamal and Gabriel Jesus were also on the scoresheet for the hosts, with Sem Steijn grabbing a consolation for the Dutch visitors.

“There is a long way to go until May, but it is true that things look very good because we are training very hard and everyone is hungry,” said Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick.

VfB Stuttgart also impressed, with Ermedin Demirovic scoring a 12-minute first-half hat-trick to give the German side a 3-1 home victory over Viking Stavanger. Demirovic opened the scoring in the 20th minute, saw Viking level through Zlatko Tripic two minutes later on the counter-attack, then re-established the lead in the 26th minute before completing his treble with a hooked volley six minutes after that — all in the space of a breathless opening half-hour.