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Winner in Barcelona (1-4, 4-6 overall), Paris SG, with a double from Mbappé, went through all the feelings on Tuesday evening. Qualification for the Champions League semi-final is assured.
Special envoy to Barcelona
«We will do it», promised Luis Enrique before facing Barça, “convinced» that his players would turn the situation around to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. Bingo. Beaten in the first leg at the Parc des Princes (2-3) and trailing 1-0 in the 12th minute of play, the Parisians won 4-1 on Tuesday, at the Montjuïc Olympic stadium, in the quarter-final return leg. As in 1995, in 2020 and 2021, here is the capital club in the last four of the Big Ears Cup. It will be against Borussia Dortmund, defeater of Atlético Dortmund.
Read also PSG notes in Barcelona: the Dembélé-Barcola-Mbappé trio hurts, Marquinhos as a warrior, Vitinha precious
Paris is making the task more complicated
Well in place, like Hernandez who made his presence felt to Lewandowski on every contact, PSG started strong in terms of intensity, in counter-pressing. Undivided domination, with 75% possession in the first 10 minutes. No second hand though. The first was for Barcelona, with Yamal taking advantage of Mendes’ passivity to enter the area and offer a caviar to Raphinha (1-0, 12th). Ruthless. Paris took a big hit in the face. Less aggression, less of everything. Paris on the ropes. Paris was lucky to see Lewandowski harvest on a risky restart from Mendes (20th). Mbappé? He finally showed himself, taking a cross behind the (very) restless Barcola, but the excellent Ter Stegen was watching (28th).
FC Barcelone – Paris SG
Albert Gea / REUTERS
Barcola sounds the revolt
Barcola, the man who woke up Paris. Launched by Mendes, the former Lyonnais raced towards goal. Araujo committed the irreparable just before the surface. Direct red (29th). The kind of twist that can turn a match around… Invigorated by this expulsion, the Parisians stepped on the accelerator. And it was again Barcola who set the fire on the left, crossing hard in front of the goal. Mbappé missed the mark. Not Dembélé (1-1, 40th). Vitinha from the edge of the area (42nd), Barcola next to the post (45th), Dembélé even closer to the post (45+1)… The hope was there. It was still necessary to be more efficient, more killer. In both matches, Barça still had a one-goal lead (1-1 MT).
Barcelona folds… and ends up breaking
From now on, the data was clear: Paris on board, Barça on its heels. A Barça not serene, like Ter Stegen on this floating strike from Hakimi (49th). Thrill with Ruiz whose shot licked the goal line (52nd). Explosion on that of Vitinha, who found the net (1-2, 52nd). Delay of the first leg cleared. This attempt by Gundogan was a reminder that nothing was finished (55th). But the trend was there, strong, relentless, that of a PSG above in all areas and an FC Barcelona in distress, like the coach Xavi, expelled (56th), and Cancelo, who fouled Dembélé in the area (59th). Mbappé transformed the offering (1-3, 61st) and the Parisians celebrated this goal in the form of liberation at the foot of their supporters’ parking lot. An unrestrained joy, at the height of the event, of the moment. Seeing Marquinhos push Gundogan aside in the area (63rd), Barcelona hoped for a boost from the referee. Nothing. A deputy of Xavi was expelled in turn.
FC Barcelone – Paris SG Juan Medina / REUTERS
A tense end to the match
At 3-1 in favor of PSG, a goal could change everything, for one side or the other. To life, to death. Mbappé would have liked to register it (69th). The save from Marquinhos after a strike from Lewandowski and a save from Donnarumma (75th) was worth one. KO in the air, in this dated enclosure and even downright in its juice, which was just waiting to ignite. Raphinha slalomed through the Parisian defense but was less inspired at the finish (78th). Barça stung on the counter, less control on the PSG side, Donnarumma still feverish, Marquinhos as a warrior with this rescue. But on a counter blitz led by Hakimi, Ter Stegen intervened twice, not the third, Mbappé scorer (1-4, 89th), Paris in the half (1-4 final score). The Red and Blue did it. The road continues. And PSG dreams very big.
