PSG and Kylian Mbappé will continue their journey in the Champions League thanks to their exploit at Montjuic against FC Barcelona (4-1). The French international did not tremble to offer qualification to his team on a penalty transformed into force after a foul by Cancelo on Dembélé (59th) then a double, just before the end of regulation time, on a well-executed counterattack in s ‘resuming twice against Ter Stegen (89th).
This Parisian-style “comeback” initiated by specialist Luis Enrique was crazy and full of twists and turns. Few people were still giving the Parisians a chance when Raphinha opened the scoring on the Catalans’ first chance. The Brazilian was on the rebound, at the near post, from a cross from Yamal to score with his knee (1-0, 12th). In the process, Lewandowski saw his shot in the area flirt with Donnarumma’s cross (20th). PSG had to wait for a decisive save from Ter Stegen against Mbappé to get their first hot opportunity (28th). Koundé intervened just afterwards to divert another header from his partner in the Blues.
The match then took a decisive turn with the logical expulsion of Araujo for a foul entering the area on the untenable Barcola (30th). PSG must then score three times to glimpse happiness. The feat quickly took shape thanks to a cross from Barcola well taken at the far right post by Dembélé (1-1, 40th). As in the first leg, the French right winger is once again decisive in reviving the Parisian machine and hope. Paris is increasing pressure. Dembélé misses the opportunity to give his team the advantage in added time of the first period. His recovery from the right goes close to the Catalan post (45th+3).
PSG comes back full force after the break. This desire is symbolized by a vicious shot from Hakimi deflected to the ground by Ter Stegen (48th). Ruiz cannot then conclude a good collective action by crossing his shot too much (52nd). Vitinha gives his team the logical advantage with a cross shot from the edge of the area (1-2, 54th). A shot from Gündogan hits the Parisian post (56th). The qualification then turns towards Paris with this mistake from Cancelo after a poorly controlled tackle on Dembélé. Mbappé returns to his hero’s costume by transforming the penalty into force on the right of Ter Stegen (1-3, 59th). On a counter led by Hakimi, Mbappé presents himself against Ter Stegen but comes up against the Catalan goalkeeper for the first time just like Asensio. But the PSG star is still there to take advantage of a bad dismissal from Koundé and beat Ter Stegen (1-4, 89th). Qualification for the semi-finals is in hand. But the Parisians also owe a debt of gratitude to Marquinhos who was decisive in two saves against Ferran Torres (73rd) then Lewandowski (88th). PSG have never qualified after losing a knockout match at home in the first leg. It’s done to find Borussia Dortmund in the semi-final.
The player: Vitinha
As in the first leg, Vitinha was the big man in this match for the Parisians with Ousmane Dembélé. The Portuguese gave the advantage to his teammates by scoring the second goal as at the Parc des Princes. But that of Montjuic was even more decisive in terms of accounting and hope. Well served by Hakimi, the midfielder deceived Ter Stegen with a cross shot from the right from the edge of the area (54th).
Vitinha was the metronome of the Parisian game with a presence in all registers to accelerate, recover and delay while also being decisive in the equalization of his team just before half-time. It is he who perfectly creates the gap for Bradley Barcola to be on the penultimate pass on Ousmane Dembélé’s goal (40th). The Portuguese took on an extraordinary dimension in these two matches against FC Barcelona by being in most of the good shots but above all everywhere on the pitch. He became the key man in the collective balance created by Luis Enrique as a virtuoso.
The fact: Araujo’s expulsion
The elusive Bradley Barcola was the big turning point in this match. Heading straight for goal, the Parisian left winger was unbalanced entering the area by Araujo (30th). Mr. Kovacs did not hesitate to directly show the red card and expel the Uruguayan international who was holding Barça’s house in defense as on the first leg at the Parc des Princes. The Romanian referee could almost have awarded a penalty depending on the interpretation of the exact location of the fault…
Ousmane Dembélé’s next free kick went just above Ter Stegen’s top corner (32nd). But this expulsion caused the reorganization of the Barcelona defense with the exit of the danger and little prodigy Lamine Yamal, passer on the first goal, in favor of Inigo Martinez. PSG found themselves in numerical superiority for more than an hour and took full advantage of it to turn the match around with three goals straight away, eleven against ten. Xavi also received a red card for a gesture of humor which led him to the stands of Montjuic (56th).
