PSG boss calls for focus after Celtic thrashing

Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery demanded concentration from his players following their 7-1 annihilation of Celtic in the fifth round of games in the group stages of the Champions League on Wednesday.

Unai Emery says his players must continue to work hard and maintain their intensity. Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier

The victory eclipsed the club's 7-2 destruction of the Norwegian club Rosenborg in October 2000 when Nicolas Anelka bagged a brace.

Just over 17 years later, there were also two goals apiece for Edinson Cavani and Neymar who with Kylian Mbappe form PSG's 400 million attacking trident.

The mauling of Celtic took PSG's goal tally to 24, a record for the group stages of the Champions League. Yet despite the impressive haul, which includes a 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in September and a 5-0 whipping of Anderlecht in October, Emery's men are still not guaranteed of finishing top of their group.

Bayern Munich's 2-1 win at Anderlecht means the Germans could claim Group A if they beat PSG by more three goals when the sides play on 5 December at the Allianz Arena.

"The objective is to be first in the group and we are not there yet. We still have to play against Bayern and we have the advantage of the 3-0, but it will be a great match and a very difficult one," said Emery.

Celtic got the opener in the second minute of the tie. Moussa Dembele swept home past Alphonse Areola to register the first goal conceded by PSG in the competition.

Within nine minutes Neymar had levelled. Celtic lost the ball in midfield. Adrien Rabiot surged forward and threaded a pass through to the Brazil star who slid his left footed shot past the Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon. Midway through the half Neymar added his second. Edinson Cavani punished poor defending to bundle in the third and Mbappe put the match beyond doubt just before half-time.

"When it gets to 4-1, you try to limit the damage," said the Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers. "And I thought we were compact and tight. But then they scored three goals out of nothing. So there are lessons for us but you also have to admire the sheer quality of PSG."