Paris Saint-Germain scored a record four goals in the first 17 minutes of their Champions League clash at Villarreal on Tuesday.
It was the fastest any team had scored four goals from the start of a match in Champions League history. Real Madrid previously held the record, taking 20 minutes to score four goals against Dinamo Zagreb in 2011.
PSG’s fourth goal also set the mark for the most goals by a team through four games of a Champions League season, with 18.
Helped by dreadful defending, PSG swept into an unassailable early lead at El Madrigal.
The goals that sunk the Yellow Submarine — the nickname of Villarreal — came in an eight-minute burst, scoring in the ninth when João Neves poked home a loose ball after missing the initial corner into the box.
Désiré Doué added a second in the 12th, Senny Mayulu scored a minute later and Fabián Ruiz slammed home in the 17th — with all three goals stemming from mistakes by Villarreal as they played out from the back or got dispossessed in its own half.
The two-time defending European champions couldn’t match the record for most goals in the first half of a Champions League match, which stands at six, but Luis Enrique’s side added two more goals after halftime.
Spain midfielder Ruiz scored his second in the 50th minute before 17-year-old David Boly found the net on his Champions League debut in the 78th to complete the rout.
PSG, which started the fourth round of games in first place in the standings, was without Ousmane Dembélé, Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes because of thigh injuries, along with long-term absentee Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (ruptured ACL).
It didn’t stop PSG from strolling to a 10th straight win in all competitions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
