PSG complete Barcelona comeback to reach Champions League semis

Raphinha fired Barcelona ahead early on but Ronald Araujo's 29th-minute red card turned the tide in PSG's favour, despite the Spanish champions leading by two goals following a 3-2 quarter-final first-leg win. Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha levelled the tie for PSG and the deadly Mbappe hit a brace to put them into the final four for the first time since 2021.

The French champions have never won the trophy despite huge investment but demonstrated they have the attacking weapons in their squad to do so. Five-time winners Barcelona were dreaming of a first semi-final return since 2019 but Araujo's red card for pulling down the relentless Bradley Barcola undermined their grip on the tie.

PSG coach Luis Enrique, who led Barca to the 2015 Champions League, said he believed his team would turn things around despite never having managed to after a first-leg defeat, and so it proved. The visitors started with determination and penned Barcelona back in their own territory, but it was the hosts who took the lead.

Explosive 16-year-old starlet Lamine Yamal ripped past Nuno Mendes and crossed to the near post where Raphinha turned home despite pressure from Achraf Hakimi. It was the Brazilian winger's third goal of the tie after his brace in Paris. Robert Lewandowski fired another chance over the top for Barcelona before Barcola tilted the tie in PSG's favour. The winger was a nightmare for his French compatriot Jules Kounde to handle.

Barcola teed up Mbappe but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied him well, before Araujo was sent off for bringing him down. The Uruguayan centre-back pulled Barcola back as he burst into the area, leaving Barca with 10 men. Dembele whizzed the resulting free-kick narrowly over, but soon found the net, as he did in the first leg.

The former Barcelona winger struck after 40 minutes from another Barcola cross, which raked across the area to the back post where Dembele was arriving to fire into the roof of the net. Barcelona sacrificed Yamal for defender Inigo Martinez after Araujo's red card and it left them with few outlets in attack.

 

April 16, 2024

No escape

With PSG controlling the game Barcelona soon paid the price for their inability to keep possession. Vitinha was given far too much space on the edge of the box and he drilled into the bottom corner to put PSG ahead on the night. Ilkay Gundogan hit the post at the other end for Barcelona before their coach Xavi was sent off for a show of dissent on the touchline.

The Catalans were losing their heads and Joao Cancelo clumsily fouled Dembele to hand PSG a penalty. Mbappe, who had been kept quiet in the first leg, hammered it into the top corner for his 40th goal across all competitions. The striker's future may lie in Spain, with Real Madrid aiming to sign him in the summer at the end of his contract, and he made no friends in Barcelona by hopping the advertising hoardings and running towards fans to celebrate.

Another member of Barcelona's backroom staff was dismissed after Gundogan had a penalty appeal waved away and it became clear the hosts had no response. Mbappe wrapped up the win in the 89th minute after a fine Ter Stegen double save, leaving Barcelona the victims of another bitterly disappointing night in Europe.

 

April 16, 2024