Raphinha scores his first double in the Champions League and Barca takes advantage in the first leg against PSG

PARIS (AP) — Raphinha scored two goals and Andreas Christensen came off the bench to score the header that sealed Barcelona’s 3-2 victory at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday to open the League quarter-final tie. of Champions.

Christensen rose to head in a corner kick from the left in the 77th minute, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma unable to respond.

Raphinha opened the scoring in the 37th minute, but PSG turned it around after the break. Ousmane Dembélé leveled in the 48th against his former club. Three minutes later, midfielder Vitinha put the Parisians ahead in a vibrant match in which Dembélé hit the left post shortly before Christensen’s goal.

The blaugranas emerged victorious from the Parc des Princes after knowing how to recover after being down on the scoreboard.

“A spectacular night, not only for me, for the team as well,” said Raphinha. “The victory was very important, but this is not over.”

Raphinha’s first goal had the complicity of Donnarumma, who reacted badly to a cross from Lamine Yamal from the right and which the 16-year-old winger put exquisitely with the outside of the left boot.

The defensive failures of both teams set the tone during the match.

Uruguayan defender Ronald Araújo managed to deflect a cross from Kylian Mbappé but left the ball served to Dembélé, who cut back Frenkie de Jong inside the area and finished with class to beat goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen.

Vitinha was left with ample space to maneuver after receiving a pass from Fabián Ruiz and beat Ter Stegen with a shot that slipped under the goalkeeper’s body.

Barça did not give up. A sensational through ball from the newly introduced Pedri ended up at the feet of Raphinha and the Brazilian attacker scored with a volley to make it 2-2 in the 62nd.

The second leg will be played next Tuesday in Spain.

In the other quarterfinal match on Wednesday, Atlético Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at home.

Yamal set a record for precocity. At 16 years and 272 days old, the Spanish international became the youngest player to play in a quarterfinal in the tournament.

Source: AP

2024-04-10 22:11:27
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