Gordon Urges Barcelona to Learn From PSG Defeat Ahead of El Clasico

Anthony Gordon says Paris Saint-Germain deserved to beat Barcelona and are still the team to beat in Europe, after the Catalans lost 4-2 in the Champions League.

"I think they deserved it in the end. I feel like they were the better team," Gordon told TNT Sport. He said the reigning champions simply lasted longer than Hansi Flick's side. 

"They had better moments with more quality and I feel like athletically they were able to sustain the pressure, the intensity for longer than we were. They've been the team to beat for two years, tonight is a great example of why."

The defeat ended Barcelona's 11-game winning run. Flick had urged his players to show they belong among Europe's best, and for long spells they did. 

Goals from Xavi Espart and Lamine Yamal kept the hosts in the game. But the back-to-back European champions finished stronger, with late strikes from Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz. The wins keeps PSG's 100 per cent record in this year's competition.

Gordon was not too down on his side, though. He said there were plenty of positives to take away. "I think we can take great positives because we played well, it was a competitive spectacle," he said. "But we've still got work to do and I think that's a good position."

He said Barcelona must learn from the night and push to reach PSG's level. "They've been the best for two years, they're still the team to beat and we need to take from this that we need to do enough work, analyse this game and try and become that team. Try and become the team that needs to be beaten."

Barcelona have little time to dwell on it. They face fierce rivals Real Madrid in the Clasico on Sunday, and a quick bounce back in Spain's biggest game would help them put the PSG loss behind them. PSG, meanwhile, play Lyon in Ligue 1 on the same day.