Neymar became the first player in Champions League history to score 20 goals with two different clubs as the PSG forward struck a hat-trick in the resumed match with Istanbul Basaksehir.
The Group H game at the Parc des Princes was restarted from the 14th minute – the point at which it had been abandoned on Tuesday night after accusations of racism levelled at a Romanian match official.
Players warmed up on the pitch on Wednesday in T-shirts bearing the slogan ‘no to racism’ and also took a knee around the center circle immediately before the match got underway.
✊✊?✊?✊?✊?✊? Ａｌｌ Ｔｏｇｅｔｈｅｒ: #NoToRacism ?️ @PSG_insidepic.twitter.com/o7QA6ewKZq
Once it did start, it was Neymar who was at the heart of proceedings, beginning with a sublime opening goal in which he nutmegged a Basaksehir defender before curling the ball into the top corner.
NEYMAR WHAT A GOAL pic.twitter.com/INFI6lsWQi
The Brazilian added a second on 37 minutes, while strike partner Kylian Mbappe netted a penalty three minutes before half-time.
Neymar completed his hat-trick five minutes after the break with another sublime strike, and while Mehmet Topal claimed a consolation goal for the visitors, Mbappe completed the 5-1 rout for PSG with his second on 62 minutes.
Neymar scores for a third time today against İstanbul Başakşehir F.K. and now has himself a hat-trick.The Brazilian has been unstoppable #UCL, (via @UCLonCBSSports) pic.twitter.com/J3jXdSMbtf
The goals meant Neymar, 28, became the first man ever to score 20 goals for two different teams in the European Cup/Champions League, after the 21 goals in the competition he managed while at Barcelona.
20/20 – Neymar is the first player in the history of the European Cup/Champions League to score 20 goals for two different teams (Barcelona and PSG). Vision. pic.twitter.com/dV75pUE6jC
3 – Neymar’s treble is his third UEFA Champions League hat-trick, also doing so against Celtic in December 2013 and against Crvena Zvezda in October 2018; indeed, only Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo (8 each) have scored more hat-tricks in the competition. Pecking. pic.twitter.com/8sigpJX0j3
Manchester United’s defeat at RB Leipzig on Tuesday already meant that PSG – last season’s finalists – were assured of a place in the knockout stages heading into Wednesday’s game, but their thumping win guaranteed them top spot in the group.
Champions League debutants Basaksehir finished bottom of the group with three points from their six games.
