Barca stun PSG in remarkable comeback to reach Q-Final

Kayode Ogundele
Kayode Ogundele
Magical Barca

Barcelona made Champions League history by becoming the first team to overturn a first-leg 4-0 deficit and knock out Paris St-Germain to reach the quarter-finals for the 10th successive season.

The Spanish champions were 5-3 down on aggregate in the 88th minute, but scored three goals in the final seven minutes in one of the greatest European ties of all time.

Neymar’s free-kick and penalty followed by Sergi Roberto’s 95th-minute winner sealed victory on an incredible night at the Nou Camp.

Sergi Roberto slotted in the decider
Sergi Roberto slotted in the decider

Barcelona had led 2-0 at the break courtesy of Luis Suarez’s header after just three minutes and Layvin Kurzawa’s own goal.

And they added another shortly after half-time when Neymar fell over Thomas Meunier in the box and Lionel Messi converted the penalty.

Edinson Cavani lashed home for PSG on 61 minutes and the quarter-finals looked beyond Barca, but they obviously had not read the script.

Neymar curled a sumptuous free-kick into the top corner before Suarez won a penalty and gave it to the Brazilian to convert – which he did comfortably, leaving Barca with one goal to find in injury time.

And Neymar, who put in one of his finest ever performances, turned provider for substitute Roberto who poked home his first goal of the season as the Nou Camp exploded.

PSG Flopped
PSG Flopped

PSG stunned Luis Enrique’s men in the first leg as they completely outplayed the Spanish champions – 16 shots on goal with 10 on target as they inflicted a 4-0 defeat.

Angel di Maria, Cavani and Julian Draxler were in superb form as manager Unai Emery masterminded his first victory over Barca in 23 attempts.

But their attacking threat from three weeks ago was replaced by a nervous and clumsy defence as PSG looked resigned to a night of toil from the off.

The defence were a shambles – Marco Verratti and Marquinhos let the ball bounce for the first goal, Marquinhos again failed to deal with the second and Meunier got in the way of Neymar to concede a penalty for the third.

Pressed back to the edge of their penalty box, they were unable to assert any dominance in midfield and with Di Maria on the bench, still feeling the effects of an injury, there was no outlet for the passes.

Coach Enrique savours victory
Coach Enrique savours victory

Cavani, in prolific goalscoring form, gave his side a hope of holding on in the 62nd-minute, but he will inevitably face criticism after missing vital chances to put the tie to bed.

Emery, who led Sevilla to three consecutive Europa League titles from 2014-2016, got his tactics very wrong in what was a disastrous result for PSG.

The domestic title is far from safe, they are three points behind Monaco in Ligue 1 and will need to recover quickly to keep up their challenge for a domestic double.

They’ve lost in the last eight in each of the past four years of the Champions League, but didn’t even make it that far this season thanks to Barcelona’s brilliance.

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