Paris Saint-Germain welcomed Benfica to Parc des Princes in the Champions League on Wednesday night with both sides having an opportunity to go top of Group C.
The French champions got off to a flying start by thrashing Olympiacos in Greece a fortnight ago, while last season's Europa League finalists enjoyed a comfortable victory over Anderlecht.
However, it was PSG who prevailed in a one-sided encounter to send them to the summit of the group.
Read how the match unfolded in our live commentary below.
Good evening, and welcome to Sports Mole live coverage of Champions League football, where Paris Saint-Germain take on Benfica in Group C.
The match pits the two favourites of this group to go through against one another, with the winner taking top spot in Group C. Both sides breezed through their opening match of the competition, so this should be a great match.
Last year both sides had rather contrasting adventures in Europe. PSG were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals in slightly controversial fashion to Barcelona, while Benfica were dumped out at the group stages before losing to Chelsea in the final of the Europa League.
Ahead of the match, both sides have talked up their own chances of winning the game but Benfica boss Jorge Jesus is fully aware of just how dangerous PSG can be.
"No-one doubts that PSG is one of the teams with the most quality at an individual level in Europe, especially in attack," he said.
"But that does not take away our hope and confidence. We will go to Paris to score goals. We are improving all the time and hopefully we will take it to the next level."
The home side have also been showcasing their confidence prior to this evening, and it will come as no shock to you that it is Zlatan Ibrahimovic that has been doing the speaking.
"There is a big difference compared to last year because this year all the other teams have seen PSG's results and the players we have recruited," he said.
"After a year in the Champions League the club has more experience. We must show when we're good and we will do everything to beat Benfica and prove we are challengers for the trophy."
These two sides have had mixed starts to their domestic campaigns. PSG, after a slow start, have started to creep back towards their best form and currently sit second in Ligue 1 and are behind league leaders AS Monaco on goal difference. Meanwhile, Benfica find themselves in an unusually low position of fifth in the Portuguese division having won three, drawn twice and lost once so far this term.
Right, let's bring you the team news, starting with the home team.
PSG XI: Sirigu, Van der Wiel, Alex, Marquinhos, Maxwell, Lavezzi, Verratti, Thiago Motta, Matuidi, Cavani, Ibrahimovic
So, manager Laurent Blanc has made four changes to his side that beat Toulouse in Ligue 1 at the weekend.
The big news for the French outfit is that Alex has recovered from injury and goes straight into the centre of defence alongside Marquinhos.
Elsewhere, Blaise Matuidi, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani all come back into the team, while Zoumana Camara, Lucas, Jeremy Menez and Adrien Rabiot all drop out.
Here is the options for Blanc on his bench.
PSG BENCH: Douchez, Camara, Digne, Jallet, Menez, Rabiot, Lucas
So a lot of strong possibilities for Blanc should he need them. Time to take a look at the Benfica side.
BENFICA XI: Artur, Luisao, Siqueira, Garay, Almeida, Fejsa, Djuricic, Gaitan, Matic, Perez, Cardozo
Boss Jorge Jesus also makes four changes to his side, following their disappointing draw with Belenenses at the weekend.
Cortez, Maxi Pereira, Lazar Markovic and Lima have all been left out of the starting lineup, with Siqueira, Andre Almeida, Filip Djuricic and Nicolas Gaitan coming in.
Right, let's take a look at the Benfica substitutes.
BENFICA BENCH: Lopes, Pereira, Jardel, Sulejmani, Gomes, Markovic, Lima
So both squads are full of talent, and this should be a fantastic encounter. We're just 13 minutes away from kick off.
The teams are in the tunnel at the Parc des Princes.
PSG are wearing some rather flash navy tracksuit tops while waiting for Benfica to come out of the dressing room.
And here they come out onto the field.
Paris Saint-Germain are wearing their home kit of all-navy with red and white squares on the shirts, while Benfica have their preferred first strip on of red shirts, white shorts and red socks.
Benfica will play from right to left in this first half.
KICK OFF! Benfica get us underway.
It's very noisy at the Parc des Princes, which is one of the reason why these European nights are so special. Decent tempo to start this match, Benfica are keen to attack, but there have been no chances as of yet.
GOAL! Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Benfica (Zlatan Ibrahimovic)
Perfect start for the hosts and it's a lovely goal that has got them in front. Some fluid passing moves sees Matuidi slide Van der Wiel into the box on the right with a pass, and he knocks a low pass across the face of goal for Ibrahimovic to tap in at the far post. Suspicion of offside against the Swede, but the goal stands.
Decent attacking response from Benfica, who are still trying to attack the French champions, but Sirigu has been able to grab a hold and intercept most of their deliveries into the box so far.
Nice play from PSG as Verratti plays a ball over the top to Matuidi which is pulled back for Ibrahimovic, but Luisao is in there quickly to intercept.
PSG are starting to get on top now, despite the fact that Benfica are pressing high.
CHANCE! Verratti goes down under a challenge and feels that he should be awarded a free kick, he doesn't get it but gets straight back up and brilliantly wins the ball back with a sliding challenge. He plays it inside to Matuidi, who has a low crack at goal, but it's comfortable for Artur.
CHANCE! Benfica come forward down the left before passing the ball inside to Siqueira on the edge of the box. He hits a shot first time, but was leaning back and his effort was always rising over the bar.
Ibrahimovic tries his luck from range after skipping past Matic in the centre, but he drags his effort wide of the near post.
SAVE! Nearly an equaliser for Benfica, as Oscar Cardozo is threaded through on goal, but Sirigu is quickly off his line to make the stop.
GOAL! Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Benfica (Marquinhos)
It's Marquinhos again! The 19-year-old scores his third goal since joining PSG in the summer and his second in the Champions League. A corner is briefly cleared by Benfica but PSG can keep the attacking possession. Ibrahimovic plays an awesome backheel to Verratti, who flicks it on to Matuidi. He storms to the byline down the left before squaring it inside for Marquinhos to tap into an empty net.
BENFICA CHANGE Another early blow for the away side as they are forced into a change. Fejsa cannot continue, and Andre Gomes is brought on.
GOAL! Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 Benfica (Zlatan Ibrahimovic)
Ibrahimovic gets his second of the match and this is simply too easy for him. A Thiago Motta corner comes in from the right, and Ibrahimovic towers above his marker on the edge of the six-yard box to head into the top corner. He simply wanted it more than the defender. Game over.
What more can go wrong for Jorge Jesus and his side?!
YELLOW CARD Well this isn't ideal for them, as Nicolas Gaitan goes into the book for dissent.
YELLOW CARD Van der Wiel goes into the book for a late challenge.
Benfica, to their credit, are still trying to come forward as much as they can, but there has just been such a gulf in class so far tonight.
Saying that, I didn't expect the match to be this one-sided in the first half.
Benfica having some more possession high up the field as they desperately seek a way back into this match, but they haven't been able to test Sirigu so far.
CHANCE! Benfica are given a chance as Sirigu makes a poor punch from an incoming on the left. It lands at the feet of Garay about 23 yards out, and he blasts it but it rises just over the bar.
Brilliant sliding interception from Luisao to deny Ibrahimovic a chance at his hattrick from Lavezzi's low cross on the left.
HALF TIME: Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 Benfica
One-sided is an understatement. PSG have dominated this match from the off and are already out of site. It's going to take a miracle for Benfica to get anything from this.
Ibrahimovic scored either side of a Marquinhos goal to give the hosts a 3-0 lead at the break. Benfica have had attacking possession going forward, but they haven't really tested Sirigu.
Benfica are back in the tunnel. I wonder what's been said to them by Jesus at the break.
PSG have joined them, and the teams are back out at Parc des Princes.
BENFICA CHANGE Djuricic has been replaced at the break with Markovic coming on.
KICK OFF! PSG, shooting from left to right, get the match back underway.
YELLOW CARD Alex goes into the book for bringing down Gaitan. He just stuck out a leg as the winger hit full speed, silly foul.
SAVE! Sirigu gets a strong hand to the ball after Garay blasted his free kick towards the top corner.
Good start to the half from Benfica who have been on the attack a fair bit, but that's because they simply have to.
Not much to report, no real chances. PSG are just stroking the ball about casually when they have it, while Benfica are desperately trying to create something when in possession, but just simply can't.
Nearly a chance for PSG to get their fourth, as Cavani is slid in down the right side of the box, but he cannot get his shot away.
Benfica are about to make their third and final change.
CHANCE! Decent chance for Benfica, as Cardozo tries to swing the ball over the head of Sirigu, but it lands on the top of the netting.
BENFICA CHANGE Last roll of the dice from Jorge Jesus as he takes on Nicolas Gaitan and brings on Miralem Sulejmani.
SAVE! Sulejmani breaks free down the left and hits a low shot across the face of goal, but Sirigu makes the save.
Blanc is about to make a double change.
PSG CHANGES Lucas and Rabiot have been brought on for Verratti and Lavezzi.
SAVE AND A MISS! Ibrahimovic should be celebrating his hattrick right now, but he skies a shot over the bar with Artur out of position after he kept out Lucas' initial drive.
SAVE! Wonderful play from PSG, but Artur makes an awesome stop to deny Cavani. He saved Lucas' initial strike from the right, before Cavani's effort from the centre was stopped with his foot.
PSG CHANGE Final alteration from Laurent Blanc who takes off the recently fit-again Alex and brings on Zoumana Camara.
PSG are dominating possession yet again. I think Benfica have accepted the fact that they are not going to win this.
Gomes hits a shot from 25 yards out that crawls along the floor and into the arms of the crouched Sirigu. That about sums up Benfica's night in front of goal.
This looks like it is going to PSG's 25th consecutive game unbeaten at home in Europe. Not many teams will want to travel here.
We will have three minutes of added time.
FULL TIME: Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 Benfica
That's it, an emphatic victory for PSG who had effectively already won the match by half time thanks to a brace from Ibrahimovic along with a Marquinhos goal.
Benfica were slightly better after the break, but PSG were already in cruise control by that point. The French giants are now top of the group.
Well that's it from me tonight, I hope you enjoyed the game. Until next time, goodbye.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
