Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona: Champions League quarter-final ...

11 Apr 2024

The Guardian

Share on XTweet

Paris SaintGermain v Barcelona Champions League quarterfinal

Barcelona came back from 2-1 down to beat PSG and take control of the tie after goals from Raphinha and Andreas Christensen

And with that, I’ll say farewell. I need a rest after that topsy-turvy 90. What a position the competition finds itself in after all those first legs; all eight teams are still right in it, with two draws and just a goal to separate the two ties from tonight. It’s all rather exciting. Goodbye.

Xavi has a word with TNT and I’ll sum it up for you – he’s pretty chuffed with his boys, including his young guns, Yamal and Cubarsí. “I’m very happy because it’s a new Barça, but we are in a good way.”

Luis Enrique is still upbeat despite the loss: “It’s too soon, I didn’t have time to reflect. It was a pity. Second half started the best way for us … suddenly we suffered a second goal. At the end it’s a result that for us it’s a pity.”

Barney Ronay’s on-the-whistle report from Paris is here.

Raphinha and Christensen conjure slim advantage as Barcelona edge PSG

Just seen Xavi’s celebration after Barcelona’s first goal. He was beyond ecstatic, bouncing about like he was in a mosh pit. Cor, wouldn’t he love to sign off as manager of Barcelona with a Champions League win.

“Glad to see the scoring picked up a bit,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “These QFs are turning into goal fests!” Yes, Big Cup is well and truly alive.

Football Daily | Two games, 10 goals and some elite playground football we could all enjoy

Crucially, Barcelona kept Kylian Mbappé quiet. He wasn’t given a great deal of space to run into during that second half, and every time he cut in from the left he seemed to meet a wall of yellow.

A terrific result for the visitors, showing character after PSG came out at half-time with plenty of verve to make it 2-1. Xavi must take credit for his use of subs; Pedri emerged to play a wonderful ball for Raphinha’s second, and Christensen headed in the winner shortly after he came on.

Ferran Torres’ cross sails over everyone. PSG’s break is quickly interrupted as Barcelona keep hold of the ball. And then comes the whistle. Barcelona leave Paris all smiles.

90+3 min: Mbappé’s shot from outside the box is deflected out for a corner … Dembélé’s ball in is safely caught by Ter Stegen.

90+2 min: PSG work it around before Dembélé, once again, overhits his lofted ball into the box.

90 min: Barcola’s pull-back from the byline is intercepted before the ball eventually works its way back to Mbappé, with his cross blocked. Four minutes are added on.

89 min: Beraldo and Fermín also go in the book as the legs begin to tire.

88 min: Christensen gets a yellow after bringing down Zaïre-Emery.

87 min: Dembélé’s shot inside the box is awry, but nearly turns into a cross for Mbappé to head in; the Superman dive isn’t enough to get a touch on it, though.

85 min: Gonçalo Ramos is on for PSG while Fermín replaces Gündogan for Barcelona.

84 min: PSG work it around before Dembélé’s attempt to beat Barcelona’s backline – a chipped ball into the box – goes out for a goalkick.

83 min: Mbappé sets up Ruiz for a shot from the D, but an excellent block comes in to deny the hosts.

82 min: Hernández tries to pummel his way down the right for PSG as Cubarsí holds back Barcola to get a yellow card.

80 min: Raphinha and De Jong are the men who went off for Barcelona by the way; the former was brilliant, nabbing a brace.

The corner came in for Barcelona, Donnarumma was stuck on his line for PSG, and Andreas Christensen, somehow, had a free header from close range. He wasn’t going to mess it up. A Barcelona sub makes an instant impact – once again.

Ferran Torres is on for Barcelona, along with Christensen … and the latter scores!

75 min: Dembélé hits the post! Vitinha slid the ball into the box and the forward opened up his body to strike with his right foot past Ter Stegen … but not into the net.

74 min: Pedri plays Gündogan, who slides in the ball to Raphinha for chase on to … the play ends with João Félix trying his luck from range.

72 min: Zaïre-Emery plays a fine ball down the right for Barcola to chase, but the winger is offside.

71 min: Barcola is nearly through on goal, but Araújo is lightning quick, sliding to get in the way of the shot.

70 min: 26 metres out, and Raphina’s low strike is kept out comfortably by Donnarumma.

69 min: Lewandowski wins a free-kick in an appetising position: centre-right, shooting range, and a chance for Raphina to get a hat-trick.

67 min: The game takes another breather before Mbappé launches a mazy run inside from the left, finding Barcola, who goes down. But the game goes on.

66 min: João Félix fires in a cross from the left but PSG break away themselves.

Pedri picks up the ball in midfield, nails a staggering lofted ball into the box, and Raphinha, making an excellent run forward, pulls off a brilliant volley past Donnarumma to make things level. This game is getting silly!

Pedri makes an instant impact!

61 min: Lee is off for PSG, with Zaïre-Emery on for PSG. João Félix comes on for Yamal. Pedri is also on for Barcelona.

59 min: PSG play knockabout as the game takes a bit of a breather.

Kári Tulinius writes: “Luis Enrique sometimes gets things spectacularly wrong, the 4-2-4 against Newcastle springs to mind, but here he recognized that his team were too predictable in attack and added the chaotic Barcola upfront at halftime, and the Barcelona defense is really unsettled now.”

58 min: Mbappé wins a corner; he’s been remarkably quiet despite PSG’s comeback. That only suggests further misery for Barcelona. Lee sends a cross into the Barcelona box but beats everyone.

57 min: Ruiz has a shot blocked; the PSG attackers are queueing up for them at the moment.

55 min: Barcola strikes the bar! The sub has acres of space on the right as PSG counter and his shot is tipped onto the bar and out for a corner by Ter Stegen.

52 min: Barcelona attack and Lewandowski has a free header … that he doesn’t get the desired contact with.

There’s some neat buildup out on the right-hand side for PSG before Ruiz slides in a reverse ball inside the box for Vitinha to sprint onto, and his low finish is immaculate. PSG have transformed this game in just five second-half minutes.

What did they do at half-time?

Mbappé’s cutback from the byline is blocked inside the box and finds Dembélé, who twists and turns and thunders a rocket past Ter Stegen.

What a hit, my son!

47 min: Vitinha breaks free through the middle for PSG and shoots from outside the box … over the bar.

46 min: And we’re back. Asensio is off for PSG, with Bradley Barcola on.

I haven’t really given Raphinha enough credit for his finish, which required him to regain his balance before launching his perfectly placed strike.

Some correspondence to catch up on, with Matt Burtz enjoying the overall aesthetic of this game.

“I have little to say about the game itself, I just wanted to note that the contrasting kits are sublime. A team clad in all yellow is always a pleasant sight, and PSG’s navy blue is the perfect counterpart. Even Anthony Taylor’s teal is pleasing to the eye. Tres chic!”

Barcelona have kept Kylian quiet and nabbed a goal, too. Xavi will, surely, be a happy man at the break.

45+1 min: PSG work it around but lack an incisive pass. That is until Mendes fizzes through a terrific low cross from the left. But it’s diverted away and Barcelona launch a threatening break … which ends with Yamal shooting high and wide.

45 min: Two minutes are added on.

44 min: Araújo heads away a cross from Lee which was trying to find Mbappé. That centre-back pairing for Barcelona is looking rock-solid at the moment.

43 min: Barcelona counter through Yamal on the right but he’s met with a fierce challenge from Lucas Beraldo.

42 min: Dembélé slides a pass into the box for Mbappé, but he’s held up by Cubarsí.

40 min: Yamal, the confident young pup, cuts in from the right and lofts a ball into the box, hoping to unlock Lewandowski. Doesn’t get it right, but he’s causing a bit of trouble.

It’s a lovely low ball into the box from the right from Yamal, which Lewandowski tries to get on the end of. Donnarumma gets to it, but only tips it towards Raphinha, who takes a moment, but finds the net. Barcelona have grown into the game and now have their goal.

Mix-up in the box and Raphinha takes advantage!

34 min: The ball is played low by Gündogan for Raphinha to strike from the edge of the box but it’s blocked and PSG drive forward before Asensio is taken down in the circle. Roberto gets a yellow for the foul.

33 min: Yamal has room on the right but decides against taking on Mendes as Barcelona stay patient with their passing. There’s a bit of pinball in the air between Hernández and Marquinhos, leading to a corner for Barcelona.