‘Just like I do with the youth team’ – David Boly explains how staying calm helped him score on his Champions League debut as PSG crush Villarreal 6-0

Paris Saint-Germain teenager David Boly revealed that treating his maiden Champions League outing like an academy fixture helped him find the net in Tuesday’s 6-0 rout of Villarreal. The 17-year-old substitute capped a dominant European victory at the Estadio de la Ceramica after coming off the bench late on.

Teenage substitute caps emphatic rout

Seventeen-year-old prospect Boly rounded off a clinical Matchday 4 performance in Spain after head coach Luis Enrique took off Desire Doue, Vitinha and Achraf Hakimi in the 74th minute. Collecting a pass from Joao Neves, the youngster surged down the wing before firing an angled strike that deflected in off a defender’s leg. By the time he entered the fray, several home fans had already left the stadium after defensive errors saw the hosts concede four goals inside 17 minutes.

Academy mindset settles debut nerves

Speaking to PSG TV after the final whistle, Boly explained his composed approach: “As soon as Luis Enrique told me to get warmed up, I got into the zone. Then he told me I was coming on, and I told him I’d do what I always do, just like I do with the youth team: not get stressed, just play my football. And it paid off because I got the ball from Joao Neves, moved in front of goal, took a shot and saw it go in. It was incredible!

“All of this is the result of my hard work over so many years, ever since I was a little boy. I’ve always kept working, harder and harder, and I think it has paid off. Now I need to keep going; I’ve still got room for improvement. I’m really happy and I’m going to enjoy it tonight and tomorrow.

“Scoring is incredible, but making my Champions League debut in a match like that was an incredible feeling! I’d like to thank everyone, starting with the coach who put his faith in me, and all the staff who’ve been helping me from the start, ever since I joined the first team last year. I’m absolutely delighted!”

Early blitz destroys Spanish hosts

Before Boly’s late cameo, Neves opened the scoring from a ninth-minute corner after keeper Peter Gulacsi had denied Doue. Maghnes Akliouche then set up Doue in the 12th minute following a poor pass out from Gulacsi, before Senny Mayulu punished another turnover 60 seconds later and Akliouche teed up Fabian Ruiz in the 17th minute.

Visiting stopper Matvey Safonov denied Ayoze Perez and Pape Gueye either side of the interval, while Ruiz completed his brace five minutes into the second half from Vitinha’s free-kick.

Reigning champions lead European standings

Crushing the Spanish outfit moved the defending European champions three points clear at the top of the league phase table on 12 points following earlier wins over Slovan Bratislava (6-1), Manchester City (4-2) and Barcelona (4-2).

Having overcome a slow domestic start of two points from three Ligue 1 games that included a 2-1 home loss to Monaco, Enrique’s men have now won 10 straight matches in all competitions. Next up in Europe on November 25, the French leaders welcome Roma while Villarreal, who have won just once, visit Slavia Prague.