Marquinhos says struggling PSG has to 'do things properly' after another Champions League loss

PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos lamented the team's inefficiency and inability to “do things properly” after a 2-1 home loss to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday left it last among the four French clubs in the new-look Champions League.

PSG once again entered the competition hopeful of winning it for the first time, but is now 25th out of 36 clubs after only one win in four matches. The bottom 12 are eliminated after eight rounds.

“We are not improving in terms of efficiency,” Marquinhos told Canal Plus television. “Sometimes when we make mistakes in the Champions League we are not punished for it, but when you have top players in the other team then you are (punished)."

With games against Bayern Munich and Manchester City still to come, PSG faces the worrying prospect of failing to qualify for the knockout round. The top eight reach the round of 16 while teams ranked ninth to 24th go into the knockout playoffs.

“You have to tell the truth, if we want to win games then we have to do things properly,” Marquinhos said in French. "I’ve been here 10, 11 years and I know how we get punished on the small details.”

PSG was a Champions League semifinalist last season, and reached the final in 2020.

By comparison, fellow French club Brest had never even played in any European competition before this season and has a much smaller budget.

Yet Monaco is third and Brest is fourth in the Champions League table and both are unbeaten. Lille, meanwhile, has beaten Real Madrid at home, Atletico away and drawn with Juventus.

While they are exceeding expectations, PSG is falling way short.

After PSG midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery put PSG ahead in the 14th minute, poor defending gifted the Spanish side an equalizer four minutes later, when Nahuel Molina shot into the top-left corner.

Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak made saves from Bradley Barcola, João Neves, and Achraf Hakimi and — following a last-gasp PSG corner — threw the ball all the way up the field.

Veteran forward Antoine Griezmann collected it on the left and picked out Ángel Correa, who scored past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the third minute of additional time.

“We weren’t in position and they were able to counterattack,” Marquinhos said. “These are things that we need to improve. We have big games coming up and need to get points.”

PSG midfielder Vitinha pointed to missed chances, a recurring theme after the 1-1 draw against PSV last month.

“Small details make the difference and we couldn’t find a way to take the lead," the Portugal international said. “We need to improve how we play and keep a cool head.”

Before the game, PSG's fans in the Auteuil section of the Parc des Princes — which houses the club's ultras — held up a giant banner with the text "Free Palestine."

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PSG's players are seen after the end of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Atletico Madrid celebrates their win against PSG after the end of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Atletico Madrid's Angel Correa, on the ground, celebrates after scoring the second goal against PSG during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

A giant banner reads "Free Palestine" is seen before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's head coach Luis Enrique, left, and the Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Simeone react during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Atletico Madrid's Angel Correa, Below, celebrates with his teammates after scoring the second goal against PSG during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's players are seen after the end of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Incumbent U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans won her bid for reelection Wednesday in Virginia's 2nd District race, defeating her Democratic challenger in a victory for Republicans aiming to keep the congressional seat in their battle to control the House.

Democrats had backed candidate Missy Cotter Smasal in hopes of reclaiming Kiggans’ seat after Republicans flipped it in the 2022 midterm election.

Kiggans said in a statement Wednesday that she was honored that voters “have once again chosen commonsense conservatism to represent them in Washington.”

“My priorities are unchanged: securing a strong economy, securing our southern border, ensuring our communities and families are kept safe, and providing peace through strength on the world stage,” Kiggans said.

In a statement conceding the race to Kiggans, Cotter Smasal praised her own campaign for focusing on “essential freedoms and protecting our Democracy.” She said her supporters "will continue to make their voices heard.”

Democrat Eugene Vindman and Republican Derrick Anderson remained locked in a close contest in the 7th District. With 99% of the votes counted in the race, Vindman led Anderson by a narrow margin.

Kiggans, a 53-year-old former Navy helicopter pilot, sought a second term while facing a challenge from Cotter Smasal, 46, who also served as a Navy surface warfare officer.

Differences between Kiggans and Cotter Smasal mostly traced the national fault lines between the two major political parties. In a fiery October debate, the two repeatedly painted each other as ineffectual and supportive of partisan policies that would hurt the coastal district. While Cotter Smasal centered her campaign on abortion access and defending American democracy, Kiggans focused on issues such as the economy and border security.

“Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” Kiggans said at the October debate. “If the answer is no, why would we give Democratic policies, which my opponent would support, another chance? I am running to restore that security we’ve been missing.”

The 2nd has traditionally been a swing district, oscillating in recent years between Republicans and Democrats who served in the Navy. For instance, former Navy SEAL Scott Taylor was a Republican who represented the district for one term before being defeated in 2018 by Democrat Elaine Luria, a former Navy commander. Luria served for two terms before she lost to Kiggans in 2022.

All U.S. House seats were up for election on Tuesday, including eight other districts in Virginia. Democratic Reps. Don Beyer, Gerry Connolly, Jennifer McClellan and Bobby Scott won their seats. Republican Reps. Ben Cline, Morgan Griffith and Rob Wittman also won reelection. State Sen. John McGuire also won Virginia’s 5th District after narrowly defeating incumbent Rep. Bob Good by less than a percentage point in a bitter primary, which led to a recount in August.

On Tuesday night, Democrat Suhas Subramanyam defeated Republican Mike Clancy in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District. Democrats sought to maintain the House seat representing a swath of northern Virginia exurbs after incumbent Rep. Jennifer Wexton said she would not run for reelection because she was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy.

In the 7th District, the race between Vindman and Anderson quickly became one of the most competitive in the country, with Republicans hoping to make gains in districts in which they don’t face an incumbent. Vindman, despite being a political newcomer, developed a national profile after blowing the whistle alongside his brother during then-President Donald Trump’s first impeachment. The former Army officer focused his campaign around abortion rights and the threat of MAGA extremism on democracy. Anderson, a fellow veteran and former Green Beret, pitched himself as the more affable candidate, and centered his campaign around the economy.

Republicans represented the district for nearly 50 years until Spanberger defeated former Republican Rep. David Brat in 2018.

Barakat reported from Falls Church, Virginia, and Finley from Virginia Beach.

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Republican incumbent Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., running to represent Virginia's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, waits to go on stage and address supporters during a voting rally at Ballyhoos in Virginia Beach, Va., Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

Missy Cotter Smasal speaks to members of the media at Ballyhoos in Virginia Beach, Va., after winning the Democratic nomination in the race to represent the 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, June 18, 2024. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

Supporters of Republican incumbent Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., running to represent Virginia's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, fill the outdoor space at Ballyhoos in Virginia Beach, Va., during a voting rally Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

Missy Cotter Smasal addresses her supporters at Ballyhoos in Virginia Beach, Va., after winning the Democratic nomination in the race to represent the 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, June 18, 2024. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

Republican incumbent Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., running to represent Virginia's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, speaks to a crowd of supporters during a voting rally at Ballyhoos in Virginia Beach, Va., Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)