PSG vs. Stade de Reims result: Ramos scores, Messi returns as PSG routs Reims 4-0 at home

A perfect evening for PSG at Parc des Princes saw Kylian Mbappe star, Sergio Ramos score and Lionel Messi return as the hosts brushed Stade de Reims aside in a 4-0 romp.

Reims actually looked up to the task for much of the opening half, but Marco Verratti opened the scoring with his first club goal since 2019 to ruin a good half of work by the visitors.

It all fell apart for the underdogs after halftime, as Ramos rewarded Mauricio Pochettino for the start by poking home a third-chance opportunity on the doorstep. Verratti got his second via a heavy deflection to complete an unlikely brace, and Danilo rounded out the scoreline with a thumping finish.

MORE: When is Neymar expected back for PSG?

Mbappe pulled the strings up front, picking up the assist on the fourth and final goal. His resounding performance was boosted further by the return of Messi, who came on off the bench for the final 26 minutes as he gets back to fitness from a COVID-19 layoff.

The win pushes PSG 11 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table, while Reims stays down in 14th, just five points above the drop.

Sporting News followed the match live and provided score updates, commentary and highlights as they happened.

While the visitors to Parc des Princes were in the match through much of the opening half, ultimately the result is a comprehensive and resounding victory for PSG. Marco Verratti opened the door, and Sergio Ramos slammed it shut.

This really couldn't have gone better for PSG, as Mbappe and Messi were positive, Verratti ran the midfield and Ramos got on the scoresheet. A promising day overall.

92nd minute: Messi lets fly for his first shot after returning, but it's just over the crossbar.

86th minute: Disallowed goal, PSG! It's just not Mauro Icardi's night. He gets a cross on a platter from young Nuno Mendes, but flubs the header, instead directing it down into his own arm where it pops up and into the back of the net. That's spotted by the officials who immediately chalk off the goal for handball, which is the right call. Mendes has looked very impressive down the left on both sides of the ball.

76th minute: GOAL! PSG! This game is long gone now. Reims is stretched out trying to push forward and find a lifeline, and PSG breaks with numbers. Mbappe runs it, and then cuts it back to Danilo all alone. The the Portuguese midfielder produces a fabulous finish, rifled into the top corner.

That's Mbappe's last action of the match, job done, and Julian Draxler comes on to replace.

70th minute: Chance, PSG! It's all Parisians now, pouring it on. Icardi nearly joins the goalscoring party, fed through by Mbappe, but Rakjovic comes off his line and makes the save.

67th minute: GOAL! PSG! Verratti, why not again? He rips one on frame and it takes a massive deflection off the shoulder of Wout Faes and finds the back of the net. It remains to be seen whether this will go down as Verratti's or an own-goal, but either way, Reims may be too far adrift.

Messi gets an assist on this just minutes after returning to the pitch for PSG, a great sign for the hosts moving forward.

63rd minute: GOAL! PSG! Sergio Ramos opens his PSG account! The Spaniard has always been a prolific scorer for a defender, and he converts here for his first goal as a PSG player. A Di Maria corner swung in met the head of Danilo, and while his effort is blocked off the line by a Reims defender, Ramos pounced. His first poke was saved by Rakjovic, but his follow-up finds the back of the net. Ramos now has as many goals for PSG as Messi.

To make matters worse for Reims, Messi comes on, replacing compatriot Di Maria.

57th minute: Chance, Reims! Look out, PSG! Navas is forced into a low, diving save by a shot from Mbuku, and the rebound falls to Lopy but his curling effort goes just inches high. That's a good effort by Reims, who still has something in this match, which is definitely not done and dusted right now.

56th minute: Booking for Dion Lopy for an ugly late stamp on a PSG midfielder, that one looks like it hurt.

53rd minute: Messi begins warming up on the sidelines, and that gets the crowd excited. PSG has looked sleepy at the start of this half, as Reims continues to frustrate the home side's attack.

46th minute: Back under way for the second half. Reims makes two substitutions, as Thomas Foket and Azor Mtusiwa were withdrawn in favor of Dion Lopy and Moreto Cassama.

BeIN analyst Thomas Rongen thinking Reims won't change much despite being down a goal. That will have to come apart eventually if they can't dent the scoreline, but he's right that the first half overall was positive for the visitors.

An otherwise perfect first half for Reims comes undone just moments before the halftime whistle. Oscar Garcia's squad had done extremely well to lock down PSG and force the hosts back despite a heavy possessional advantage. They were unlocked on a chance that didn't seem terribly dangerous, but Rajkovic was beaten at his near post and conceded a goal to an unlikely source.

There's still more from this, as Reims can threaten if they come out of their shell, with Ekitike playing his usual part, and now the visitors will need to think about pushing a little more forward. They'll want to strike soon, as Lionel Messi looms on the PSG bench.

PSG brought Sergio Ramos in for his passing ability, and he's been heavily involved in the build-up play, with only the two CM's Parades and Verratti delivering more passes.

44th minute: GOAL! PSG! The best moment of the match for PSG comes via a fortunate deflection from deep, and the hosts take advantage. The deflected entry pass falls right at the feet of Mauro Icardi, and with his back to goal he pokes it to Verratti who desposits the chance. It's not a good look for the goalkeeper Rajkovic who is beaten from a decent distance at his near post.

It's Verratti's first PSG goal in any competition since 2019, and 1,723 days since he last scored in league play. A gutting way for Reims to finish what was otherwise a promising first half.

34th minute: Marco Verratti is tackled by the Parc des Princes pitch, going down hard with nobody near him, and the crowd has a collective chuckle. The Italian gets up with egg on his face.

32nd minute: Chance, PSG! Marco Verratti lays it off to Mbappe from a tight angle on the left, but he rifles it within range of Pedrag Rajkovic who kick-saves. That's a good chance and a poor finish, and Mbappe's reaction – putting his shirt up over his face – confirms he feels the same.

27th minute: Chance, Reims! Hugo Ekitike does well to get free on the left, and he finds Bradley Locko at the top of the 18-yard box, but his shot is right at PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who holds to his chest. It's a poor finish, but the chance was better than anything PSG has developed so far with 68% possession. Locko could have put that anywhere else and at least made Navas work for his save.

24th minute: A pair of corners by PSG, and while the first is well-defended by Faes, the second goes close off the head of Danilo, but goes over the top.

Down the other end, Ekitike gives Sergio Ramos a nice, clear shove, which is a chuckle-inducing dose of the Spaniard's own medicine.

22nd minute: Great point by BeIN commentator Phil Schoen, who mentions that sometimes Mbappe tries to do too much in moments where he can just be a teammate. "You don't have to be a superstar on every play." He does sometimes look to be a world-class player with every touch. It hasn't come together for him just yet today.

16th minute: PSG gets the ball to the doorstep, but a sliding clearance by Reims gets it from danger. This is a sleepy open since the very early Mbappe shot.

11th minute: A pair of brutal fouls by Reims. Mbappe is hacked by Faes who gets a talking to from the referee, and before the official can get to his whistle, Leandro Paredes is then thumped by another Reims midfielder. Both are down in pain. Free-kick from a mildly dangerous position for PSG, straightaway on frame . . . nothing. PSG has had lots of possession, and very little to do with it.

8th minute: Reims nearly had a clean counter thanks to a slicing through ball, but the offside flag is up to kill the chance. It's very tight, but the right call.

5th minute: One player to watch on Reims is 22-year-old midfielder Jens Cajuste, who was recruited by the USMNT but chose to represent Sweden. He has been involved early on both on the ball and in defensive cover.

Mbappe continues to be a PSG focal point as well, with a nice turn almost unlocking Reims before he's taken off the ball.

2nd minute: If Kylian Mbappe is struggling with a groin injury, it's not showing here early. He has an early rip that shanks just wide right. The shot has a ton of bend on it, but that does more harm than good here. Figure to see a lot of that throughout the 90 minutes.

2:26 p.m.: Mauricio Pochettino tells local television in his pre-match hit that Lionel Messi is very likely to make an appearance in the second-half, hoping to get him back to full fitness after his COVID-19 layoff.

1:50 p.m.: Lineups are in. Messi not named in the PSG starting lineup, Mbappe is, very unexpected to what we thought 24 hours ago. Messi does make the bench and still could feature. PSG does indeed also have Sergio Ramos in the lineup, as previously reported.

Reims looks to be in a back three, and Ekitike does indeed start up top, supported by teenage winger Nathaniel Mbuku.

1:15 p.m.: PSG kits have names in Chinese to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

1:02 p.m.: RMS Sport reporting that both Kylian Mbappe and Sergio Ramos are fit to start in the match. Big boost for PSG and a bigger climb for Reims.

12:50 p.m.: PSG gets its final training session in before the Reims match.

12:45 p.m.: Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who spent years locked in a rivalry with Lionel Messi during his Barcelona days, has come out strong in support of the PSG star ahead of his return from COVID-19. It's a strong statement of support for a former bitter rival.

PSG is far from full strength as it continues to build towards Champions League play in mid-February. Messi was expected to spearhead the PSG attack from the start, finally back from his bout with COVID-19, but he could only make the bench in his return. Mbappe starts despite reports over the last 48 hours regarding a recent groin problem. Neymar isn't expected to return to training from his ankle injury for another week or two, leaving the possibility that two of the three-headed monster could again be missing from action.

Abdou Diallo , Achraf Hakimi and Idrissa Gueye are all away on AFCON duty (and are performing well, which hopefully will translate back to good club form once they return). Juan Bernat remains out with after-effects of COVID-19 lingering, and Georginio Wijnaldum is also sidelined thanks to a recent ankle injury that will keep him out for at least two more weeks.

Goalkeeper Sergio Rico departed the club for Mallorca, despite making the bench last time out. Keylor Navas is fit to return from his one-match injury absence, meaning he could see the field as it's past his turn in the goalkeeping platoon with Gianluigi Donnarumma . It's a timely return for Navas, as Donnarumma has been shelved at the last minute with a calf problem, leaving 19-year-old Denis Franchi as the backup for today's match.

For Reims, Ghislain Konan , Moussa Doumbia and El Bilal Toure are all on AFCON duty and have all qualified for the knockout stage, confirming their absences for some time longer. But Moreto Cassama 's Guinea-Bissau was eliminated and he makes it back for the match, named among the substitutes.

The mid-table side is extremely short on midfielders, thanks to injuries to Valon Berisha , Marshall Munetsi , and Arber Zeneli. That means newly signed Jens Cajuste makes his second straight start, although he'll hope it goes better than his debut, which saw him yanked by Oscar Garcia at the halftime break of the eventual loss to Metz. It was believed that Azor Matusiwa would miss out with a muscle injury, but he is named in the starting lineup.

Hugo Ekitike is back from suspension and will likely get the start up top despite links to the Premier League. They will need his in-form services badly, as Reims has been shut out in each of its last four matches against PSG in all competitions, outscored 11-0. He is supported by 19-year-old Nathaniel Mbuku up front.

How to watch PSG vs. Reims

The PSG vs. Stade de Reims match is available on television on BeIN Sports, or streaming via BeIN Sports Xtra, which is available via fuboTV. New users can take advantage of a free trial with the service.
• Both teams to score: Yes +125 / No -160