Lucas Hernández saved some of his best work for after the whistle during Paris Saint-Germain's 4-2 win over Barcelona on Tuesday at the Parc des Princes, in the third round of the Champions League league phase.
The France defender had just got the better of Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, and he wasn't about to let the moment pass. After scoring PSG's second goal, Hernández went looking for the young Spaniard.
His header had come in the 72nd minute, a powerful effort from a Désiré Doué corner that restored the hosts' lead.
Jogging back to his position, Hernández crossed paths with his direct opponent and couldn't resist a wind-up. The footage tells the story. The PSG man gave Yamal a gentle pat on the shoulder, exchanged a few words, then turned to gauge the reaction and circled him for a few seconds.
Yamal kept his cool at first. In the end, though, he cracked a smile at the ribbing from the 2018 World Cup winner.
That little exchange capped a hugely successful night for Hernández, making his first Champions League start in two years.
With Nuno Mendes sidelined, the 30-year-old slotted in at left-back and Luis Enrique handed him a delicate job: shut down the threat of Lamine Yamal.
He did it, and did it well, keeping the Barcelona teenager quiet for the vast majority of the match.
There was an irony to the ending. Yamal finally found the back of the PSG net a few minutes after Hernández made way for Warren Zaïre-Emery in the 79th minute. The equaliser didn't survive long. Vitinha swiftly restored PSG's lead before Fabián Ruiz sealed the win.





